About 5 Monkeys & Your Innovation Culture

About 5 monkeys &your innovation culture

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast”

-Peter Drucker [1909-2005]

About

BOOI is a business innovation development company covering the continuum of:

Creativity → Innovation → Business Renewal

"Support our clients to

become the most innovative

player in their industry."

's mission

Culture:How is it formed?

An experimental showcase with 5 monkeys, as ladder, a cage, bananas and some cold water as punishment

A group of scientists placed 5 monkeys in a cage, together with a ladder which had bananas on the top.

Every time one monkey went up the ladder, the scientists sprayed the other monkeys with cold water.

After a while, every time a monkey went up the ladder, the others beat up the one that went up the ladder.

After some time, no monkey dared to go up the ladder regardless the temptation of the bananas.

Scientists then substituted one of the monkeys. The 1st thing this new monkey did was to go up the ladder.

Immediately the other monkeys beat him up.

?

After several beatings, the new member learned not to climb the ladder even though never knew why.

A 2nd monkey was substituted and the same occurred. The 1st substituted monkey participated on the beating of the 2nd

monkey. A 3rd monkey was changed, and a 4th and finally the last one and every time the same thing happened.

?

What was left was a group of 5 monkeys that even though never received a cold shower, continued to beat up any

monkey who attempted to climb the ladder.

If it was possible to ask the monkeys why they would beat up all those who attempted to go up the ladder…..

I bet you the answer would be….“I don’t know, that’s how things are done around here”

Does it sounds familiar?

Improving your innovation culture

● No matter what you want to do in your organisation: If your company culture does not support it it will not happen

● Your company culture is your organisation's comfort zone that no one wants to leave

Wherethe magic happens

...Your

ComfortZone

Improving your innovation culture

• Innovation is a cultural issue• Culture is created by a group of people

behaving in a similar way• Change in behaviour needs awareness first• Awareness leads to understanding• Understanding is needed to create

commitment for changing behaviour

Improving your innovation culture

● Identify behaviour that is unsupportive of innovation

● Lead by example● → Refrain from using “the hose”● → Climb “the ladder” yourself● → Encourage and support others

● Call out others that use “the hose” and/or do not “climb the ladder” themselves

Want to know more? Contact us!