I was chatting with a close friend about her new job and a big presentation she had to give to the board about some refreshing new ideas. The board members had been with the company forever, their egos entrenched, and they were stuck in the mindset of, "We’ve always done it this way." I’m sure we’ve all seen similar situations before. This also reminded me of the general business culture in Turkey when Steve, my business partner and husband, and I did business there. People had a favourite saying—though it’s not something they said directly, their actions often spoke louder than their words , "This is Turkey, and we’ve always done it this way."
Both my conversation with my friend's and our experience, reminded me of the Five Monkeys Experiment, which you may have heard before.
The Five Monkeys Experiment
So, here's how it goes. You have five monkeys in a cage. In the middle of the cage, there's a ladder, and at the top of the ladder, there's a bunch of bananas. Naturally, one of the monkeys tries to climb the ladder to get the bananas. But as soon as he starts to climb, all the monkeys get sprayed with cold water.
Whenever a monkey tries to climb the ladder, the whole group gets sprayed with cold water. Eventually, the monkeys figure out that climbing the ladder means getting sprayed, so they start preventing any monkey from even trying to climb. They actually beat up any monkey that tries to break this unspoken rule, making sure no one goes near the ladder.
Then, things get interesting. One of the original five monkeys is taken out and replaced with a new monkey, let's call him Monkey A. Monkey A doesn't know about the cold water, so naturally, he tries to climb the ladder. But before he can reach the top, the other four monkeys pull him down and beat him up. Monkey A quickly learns that climbing the ladder is a big no-no, even though he has no idea why.
One by one, each of the original monkeys is replaced with new ones—let's call them Monkeys B, C, D, and E. Each new monkey tries to climb the ladder, and each time, they get beaten up by the rest of the group. Eventually, none of the monkeys in the cage have ever been sprayed with cold water, but they all still follow the unspoken rule: no one climbs the ladder.
By the end of the experiment, none of the original monkeys are left in the cage, and none of the new ones have ever experienced the cold-water spray. Yet, they all continue the behaviour. If you could ask them why they don’t climb the ladder, they'd probably say, “I don’t know, that’s just how it’s always been done.”
This experiment is a classic example of how learned helplessness, and a stuck-in-the-past culture can spread in companies.
The Spread of Learned Helplessness in Business Culture
Does this scenario remind you of any country, company, or family you know?
The monkeys learned what not to do through beatings and instilled this into the newcomers by force.
The monkeys created a culture where they simply stopped trying and made sure that no one else tried either. Collectively, they followed two main rules to continue failing:
1. they didn't encourage each other to try climbing the ladder,
2. and they didn't question why they stopped trying.
This story, whether real or not, is a classic example of a common issue in many companies. People continue doing things the same way without asking why, even when the original reason doesn't matter anymore. Employees are often discouraged from questioning old methods, even if those methods have become pointless. Over time, this leads to a stagnant environment where no one is encouraged to suggest new ideas or improvements.
Company Culture and the Five Monkeys Experiment
In many workplaces, the story of the five monkeys feels very familiar. New employees, much like the new monkeys, come in with fresh ideas and perspectives. But they quickly learn, often through subtle hints or direct discouragement, that questioning the way things are done is just not welcome. This then leads to a situation where employees follow old rules and practices without really knowing why. When they are asked why something is done a certain way, the usual answer is, "I don’t know, that’s just how we’ve always done it."
This type of "following without questioning" can hurt a company's growth and ability to change. It creates a culture where people are content with the status quo and resist new ideas, stopping the company from adapting to new challenges and opportunities.
Breaking Free from Habitual Following
The Five Monkeys Experiment teaches us a profound lesson about the need to constantly challenge and reassess our practices and norms. In a world that's always changing, sticking to outdated methods just because they’re familiar can hold us back. This is something we had to confront in our own company after many years of the "we have always done it this way" mentality.
Needless to say, many businesses had to undergo this transformation, often unwillingly, especially after the 2020 pandemic. This forced change revealed how deeply ingrained the "that's just how it's always been done" mindset can be. However, it also showed that challenging the status quo is essential for survival and growth.
In the last four years, we've all had to adapt quickly. Unlike the monkeys who stopped trying, businesses had to push against previously accepted norms and find new ways to survive and thrive. It’s been challenging, but leading through change and questioning old norms makes business owners and executives stronger. Embracing change brings opportunity and resilience at its best.
Just as the monkeys eventually stopped trying to climb the ladder without knowing why, many organizations follow outdated practices without questioning them. Here are a few steps to break free from this cycle:
1. Encourage Questioning: Create an environment where everyone feels safe to question how things are done and suggest new ideas. Curiosity and critical thinking should be celebrated.
2. Revisit and Revise: Regularly review your practices and norms. Ensure they are still relevant and effective. Be ready to make changes when needed.
3. Promote Innovation: Give people the chance to try out new approaches and technologies. Celebrate successes and learn from failures.
4. Open Communication: Keep communication lines open across all levels of the organization. Make sure feedback and ideas flow freely.
5. Lead by Example: Leaders should model the behavior they want to see. Show a willingness to challenge the status quo and embrace change.
As Steve Jobs once said, "Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." If you have a ground-breaking project, some people will try to stop you with two words:
1. You can't.
2. You shouldn't.
They will try to discourage you with "You can't" and confuse you with "You shouldn't." These people aren’t being malicious; they’re just stuck in their past mistakes and limited thinking.
The story of the five monkeys is a powerful reminder of the dangers of habitual following and the importance of questioning and evolving our company culture. By fostering a culture of curiosity, openness, and innovation, we can avoid the trap of "that's just how it's always been done" and pave the way for continuous growth and improvement.
History is full of stories about people who were mocked, rejected, and obstructed when they first presented their groundbreaking ideas. Next time someone tells you, “that’s not how we do things,” ask them why. If they can’t provide a good reason, it might be time to rethink the way things are done. After all, our eyes are at the front of our heads for a reason: to look forward and move ahead.
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