Start with a cage containing 5 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 of the other monkeys are sprayed
with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb
the stairs, the rest of the 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 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 5 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 the
original 3rd monkey with a new one. then the 4th, then the 5th.
Most of the monkeys taking part in the beatings have no idea why
they are not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are
participating in the punishment 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.
