From Ralph Meoni:
Subject: Company Policy
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
st
airs. 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, and 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.
