Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana
on a string and
place a set of stairs under it.
Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the
banana.
As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold
water.
After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result, all
the other monkeys
are sprayed with cold water.
Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other
monkeys will try to
prevent it.
Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace
it with a new
one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs.
To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him.
After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the
stairs, he will be assaulted.
Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new
one.
The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked.
The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm!
Likewise,
replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the
fifth.
Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked.
Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not
permitted
to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the
newest monkey.
After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys
have ever been
sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the
stairs to try
for the banana.
Why not ?
Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around
here.
And that, my friends, is how company policy begins.
on a string and
place a set of stairs under it.
Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the
banana.
As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold
water.
After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result, all
the other monkeys
are sprayed with cold water.
Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other
monkeys will try to
prevent it.
Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace
it with a new
one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs.
To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him.
After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the
stairs, he will be assaulted.
Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new
one.
The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked.
The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm!
Likewise,
replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the
fifth.
Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked.
Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not
permitted
to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the
newest monkey.
After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys
have ever been
sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the
stairs to try
for the banana.
Why not ?
Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around
here.
And that, my friends, is how company policy begins.
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