Policy Experiment:

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 around here.

And that, my friends, is how a company policy begins.

Consider:  Monkey who tries to reach bananna is on a Mission to reach (achieve) the Vision.

Other monkeys are co-workers who have had ambition repressed, are content with the status quo; or fear change and the perception of added responsibility if Vision is achieved.

New monkey=new employee who sees need for change; but is resisted by older monkeys in the organization.

Remaining monkeys, including recent newcomers attack the latest addition because they have been attacked (their ambition snuffed out), and are frustrated and envious of newcomers ambition.

After all the original monkeys have left, no monkey tries for the bananna:

That's not how a policy begins, this is how a practice is perpetuated, creating an environment of complacency. Where employees fail to climb the stairs and, at least attempt to, reach the goal, the organization will stagnant and eventually fail.

Therefore, management has the obligation to assure that no "cold water" is thrown on employees who desire change and to guide, correct, and reward their efforts.

PALADIN