How To Create: (1) Bureaucracy (2) Policy (3) Procedures
1. Start with a cage containing five apes. In the cage, hang a banana on a
string and put stairs under it. Before long, an ape will go to the stairs
and start to climb towards the Banana.
2. As soon as the ape touches the stairs, spray all of the apes with cold
water. After a while, another ape makes an attempt with the same result-all
the apes are sprayed with cold water.
3. Turn off the cold water. If, later, another ape tries to climb the
stairs, the other apes will try to prevent it even though no water sprays
them.
4. Now, remove one ape from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new
ape sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his horror, all of
the other apes attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that
if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.
5. Next, remove another of the original five apes 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.
6. Again, replace a third original ape with a new one. The new one makes it
to the stairs and is attacked as well. Two of the four apes that beat him
have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they
are participating in the beating of the newest ape.
7. After replacing the fourth and fifth original apes, all the apes which
have been sprayed with cold water have been replaced. Nevertheless, no ape
ever again approaches the stairs. Why not? "BECAUSE that's the way it's
always been done around here."