Company Policies…
Extract from the book Bedtime Mail Box
Author: Dr. A. K. Bakthavatsalam; R. Gururaj
Publisher: Unicorn Books (www.pustakmahal.com)
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 other
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 attempt 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.
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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 with
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 POLICIES OF MANY COMPANIES
GET ESTABLISHED.”