POLICIES & PROCEDURES

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Put eight monkeys in a room. In the middle of the room is a ladder, leading
to a bunch of bananas hanging from a hook on the ceiling. Each time a monkey
tries to climb the ladder, all the monkeys are sprayed with ice water, which
makes them miserable. Soon enough, whenever a monkey attempts to climb the
ladder, all of the other monkeys, not wanting to be sprayed, set upon him and
beat him up. Soon, none of the eight monkeys ever attempts to climb the
ladder.
One of the original monkeys is then removed, and a new monkey is put in the
room. Seeing the bananas and the ladder, he wonders why none of the other
monkeys are doing the obvious, but, undaunted, he immediately begins to climb
the ladder. All the other monkeys fall upon him and beat him silly. He has no
idea why. However, he no longer attempts to climb the ladder.
A second original monkey is removed and replaced. The newcomer again
attempts to climb the ladder, but all the other monkeys hammer the crap out of him.
This includes the previous new monkey, who, grateful that he's not on the
receiving end this time, participates in the beating because all the other
monkeys are doing it. However, he has no idea why he's attacking the new monkey.
One by one, all the original monkeys are replaced.
Eight new monkeys are now in the room. None of them have ever been sprayed
by ice water. None of them attempt to climb the ladder. All of them will
enthusiastically beat up any new monkey who tries, without having any idea why.
AND THAT'S HOW VERY MANY COMPANY POLICIES & PROCEDURES GET ESTABLISHED.