Talking of the office (as opposed to The Office) I received this earlier on today, which may amuse....
How Things Work In Real Life
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.
