Start with a cage containing five monkeys.
Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs underit. 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.