What gives you a sense of meaning in your work?

"How can we create more meaning for people in their work?". Simple - kill the five monkeys!

Pointless jobs and bureaucratic processes are epitomised in 'The Five Monkeys'. This was told to me during an MBA module on commissioning and Local Authorities, and shows how process and following commands stifle thinking and understanding. It goes like this:

There are 5 monkeys in a cage, with a bunch of bananas hanging from the top and a box underneath the bananas. The first monkey thinks "if I climb on the box I can reach the bananas". It does this, and all the monkeys are drenched in icy water. A bit later the second monkey thinks "if I climb on the box I can reach the bananas"; again they're all drenched in icy water as soon as the monkey's on the box. Some time later the third monkey attempts to climb on the box, but all five monkeys attack to stop it as they don't want the icy water again.

Time goes by, and the first monkey is removed from the cage and replaced by a new monkey. This new monkey, the sixth one, sees the bananas and the box and thinks "if I climb on the box I can reach the bananas". As soon as a move is made towards the box, the other monkeys attack.

More time goes by, and the four remaining original monkeys have been replaced by new monkeys. Every new monkey sees the bananas and the box and thinks "if I climb on the box I can reach the bananas". Every time a move is made towards the box, the other monkeys attack. As none of the original monkeys are left the reason for the attack (being drenched by icy water) has been lost. All they know is that if someone moves towards the box you attack.

If any of them could ask 'why' they'd be told "We've always done it that way".

"How can we create more meaning for people in their work?". Simple - kill the five monkeys!

Pointless jobs and bureaucratic processes are epitomised in 'The Five Monkeys'. This was told to me during an MBA module on commissioning and Local Authorities, and shows how process and following commands stifle thinking and understanding. It goes like this:

There are 5 monkeys in a cage, with a bunch of bananas hanging from the top and a box underneath the bananas. The first monkey thinks "if I climb on the box I can reach the bananas". It does this, and all the monkeys are drenched in icy water. A bit later the second monkey thinks "if I climb on the box I can reach the bananas"; again they're all drenched in icy water as soon as the monkey's on the box. Some time later the third monkey attempts to climb on the box, but all five monkeys attack to stop it as they don't want the icy water again.

Time goes by, and the first monkey is removed from the cage and replaced by a new monkey. This new monkey, the sixth one, sees the bananas and the box and thinks "if I climb on the box I can reach the bananas". As soon as a move is made towards the box, the other monkeys attack.

More time goes by, and the four remaining original monkeys have been replaced by new monkeys. Every new monkey sees the bananas and the box and thinks "if I climb on the box I can reach the bananas". Every time a move is made towards the box, the other monkeys attack. As none of the original monkeys are left the reason for the attack (being drenched by icy water) has been lost. All they know is that if someone moves towards the box you attack.

If any of them could ask 'why' they'd be told "We've always done it that way".