Rethink. Everything.
This is a great story I heard years ago. It’s good to remember it every year or two.
No one seems to know who wrote this, and it has been reprinted several times. The oldest version comes from Jim Huggins, who posted it online in 2002, source unknown.
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 round here.
And that, my friends, is how company policies are made.
Aside from the cruelty to fictional animals, this is a great story to keep in mind when venturing onto your own path. Rethink corporate policies. Rethink societal conventions. Rethink everything your mentors have taught you. Rethink the lessons you have learned from your own experiences.
Rethink how you Define Leadership.
And reach for the banana of success.
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nope, had never heard of this story despite it being in circulation. thanks for posting it. and today of all days….it was Universe ordered for me…via you…thanks so much.
~annie
Always great to see you Annie. Thanks for the feedback!
I haven’t ever heard this story, either. And although it might have been written for corporate thinking, the message is just as clear for the rest of us. Thank you for a great post, and a wonderful reminder.
Of course, now I’m wondering if we should rethink this whole monkey and banana fable…
I had many majors in my lifetime and was once a psychology major. I chose not to pursue it but I do have a story that relates to this post.
One of my psyche professors at NYU claimed that I had a gift for psychology and offered to buy me lunch so she could discuss my career path. All I heard was free lunch. So on our “date” she recited the story to me. I thought it was some allegorical tale to test me with. As soon as she finished I told her that I’d be the monkey that figured out how to break out of the cage and find something else to desire. Then I gave her a cocky grin.
“That’s the problem and you responded as I thought you would, ” she said.
The cocky grin disappeared.
She continued stating it would serve me better to sometimes go with what society asks of you. I knew what she was trying to say but I think she misdiagnosed me. I have principles which do not always coincide with what society deems ethical or moral. I wasn’t a rebel without a cause. I may not always know what is right but I do know what is wrong.
So how does this relate to the post? The study/story tells me what you summed up in the final paragraph. I appreciate this post and I agree with it but finding your own path is a lot easier said than done and is probably one of the factors that cause people to become a hostile monkey.
That bastard Robert Frost never warned me about the bruises, the branches poking me in the eye, the mud, nettles and burrs, getting lost, scrounging for food, the lonely nights, or the heartache. I’m glad I took the route I did, but I do understand all those who thought about setting out, and then turned around to get into a nice car, and drive back to a nice home with plasma television.
Hate to say this but “dark and deep” should have been a clue.
great post as usual!
I never heard this either but I love it. Thanks David!
I love this story. It explains so much. And illuminates one of the most challenging aspects of being human
Very interesting. That’s how things are done at our restaurant. That is until this monkey puts her foot down, and says, “Well, that’s not the way it’s done now!”
I’ll be tweeting this link for sure.
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