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Five monkeys, a banana, a rope and a fire hose.

By
Real Estate Agent with Jameson Sotheby's International Realty

Five monkeys were released into a room.  As they looked around, they noticed in the center of the room a climbing rope hung from the ceiling, and at the top of the rope was a ripe banana.

In the corner of the room, stood a man dressed in fireman's garb, holding a fire hose.

One of the monkeys made a mad-dash for the rope, and started up toward the banana.  As soon as he got about midway up the rope, the fireman sprayed him with the hose and knocked him off the rope before he could reach the banana.  No sooner had he done that, than he sprayed the four remaining monkeys until they huddled shivering in the corner.

The following day, they released the monkeys back into the same room... another monkey made the dash up the rope.  Immediately he was knocked off the rope by the strong spray of the firehose, and again, the remaining monkeys were sprayed into submission until they whimpered in the corner.  This happened daily for a full week, until at the end of the week, none of the monkeys even approached the rope anymore, they just shivered and whimpered on the floor.

Starting the beginning of the next week, they removed one of the five monkeys, and replaced him with a "fresh" monkey who'd never been in the room before.  He of course said to himself..."why isn't anyone going for the banana?"... and he started climbing the rope toward the banana.  Before he could get near the banana, the other monkeys grabbed him, and dragged him to the ground, basically explaining in monkey language... "Hey, that's not the way we do things around here".

On day two, they inserted a second "fresh" monkey, and again... he made for the banana, and was dragged to the ground by the other monkeys... "Hey, that's not the way we do things.."

Day three, yet another fresh monkey... day four, fresh monkey and by day five... all five monkeys were fresh.  None of them had ever experienced the fire hose, nor seen it working... yet none of them even made a move toward the banana.  Because "that's just not the way we do things around here".

Eventually there were able to remove the fireman, and still not one of the monkeys would make a move toward the banana.

Why?  Because that's just the way it had always been done.

Are you still doing business the way that it's always been done, or are you changing things up and risking the fire hose?

(251  -33)

Think about it.
Posted by

 ALAN MAY, Realtor®   
Specializing in Evanston Real Estate and North Shore Real Estate

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty, 2934 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201
Office: 847.869.7300      Cell: 847.924.3313      Email: Almay@aol.com

Evanston Real Estate & North Shore Real Estate
Licensed in Illinois

   

Comments(39)

Gay E. Rosen
Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty - Larchmont, NY
As Real as Real Estate Gets!

Hi ALan: cute post... nice comments! All cute... change - what is that?

Jul 11, 2011 08:28 AM
Anne M. Costello
Weidel Realtors - Yardley, PA

Change or die - that's my credo. Keeping up and getting ahead in real estate requires a willingness to try new things. Suggest!

Jul 11, 2011 08:39 AM
Larry Story ALC
Total Care Realty - Greensboro, NC
Beneath it all is the Land, Covering all of NC

Alan,

Excellent analogy.   Of course I am the type of monkey that never gives up.  I might not make a mad dash for the rope the second time but by golly I will not be held back by old beliefs of how "things are supposed to be"

 

 

Jul 11, 2011 08:47 AM
Don MacLean
New England Real Estate Center Inc. - Easton, MA
Realtor-Homes for Sale- Easton, Mass 02356

Work the basics and input the new. Much like the monkeys some day a smarter fresher monkey will figure it out.

New ideas bring new results

Enjoy the day

Jul 11, 2011 08:48 AM
Christine Smith
Buyers Brokers Only LLC - www.BuyersBrokersOnly.com - Canton, MA
Exclusive Buyer Agent & Attorney, Canton, MA

I like the analogy.  There are so many people & places who fall into "that's the way we've always done it" trap.  Drives me crazy!  I'm not for reinventing the wheel every day but if there is a new & better way to do things, I'm in!

Jul 11, 2011 09:10 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Ms. Banana - thank you for the feature!   (I love the irony... featured by Bannantude, and deleted by Diary of..)

Jennifer - I hope I gave you a boost!

Than - both good points... (a swing and a miss!)

Eric - planet of the monkeys!

Gay - I don't handle "change" very well.

Anne - it's the only constant.

Larry - any analogy with a monkey in it, is a good one.

Don - yep, watch out for the cheeky monkey.

Christine - you don't have to reinvent the wheel, but be open to new ideas.

Jul 11, 2011 09:13 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Change ROCKS.  I'm always looking for new ways to do things or new things to do.  I mean, why didn't one of the monkeys try using the hose to swing (or jump) over to the bananas?

Jul 11, 2011 09:19 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Kathleen - they didn't consult with me... I don't know.

Jul 11, 2011 09:35 AM
Mitch Gover
BidOnRealty.com - Orlando, FL

Bravissimo Mr. May.  It's what I've been trying to convince people of since I started on this wild ride.  The winners will always be open to new ideas and ways of doing business.  Enjoy your evening. 

Jul 11, 2011 11:52 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Mitch - I'll do what I can...

Jul 11, 2011 11:54 AM
Ralph Janisch ABR CRS Broker
Janisch & Co. - Conroe, TX
Selling Northwest Houston to good people like you!

Interesting life comparison.  I'd have to agree that that's pretty much the way we have all been conditioned to approach life.  Works with cats too!  Enough water from a squirt bottle will eventually train them not to scratch on furniture.

Jul 12, 2011 02:55 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Jeanne & Ralph - oddly enough our nasty cat seemed to like the water.

Jul 12, 2011 03:37 AM
Russell Lewis
Realty Austin, Austin Texas Real Estate - Austin, TX
Broker,CLHMS,GRI

Oh man! I hear business parables all the time but this one is really good! and funny and entertaining, just like you! And as my assistant always says. "I know...Right?"

 

Jul 12, 2011 07:14 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Richard - I think "Monkey Waterboarding" will soon be covered in the urban dictionary.

Russell - I know... right?

Jul 12, 2011 07:29 AM
Brenda Mullen
RE/MAX Associates - San Antonio, TX
Your San Antonio TX Real Estate Agent!!

Not sure why this wasn't featured yet...probably waiting until I came along to suggest :)!  Wonderful analogy Alan and so true.  We must think for ourselves and not be become a "monkey" :)!  

Jul 12, 2011 08:06 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Brenda - I can't have all of my posts featured, now, can I?

Jul 12, 2011 08:41 AM
Peter Schattenfield
Turning Point Estate Services LLC - Wilton, CT
Estate Dissolution and Preparation (203)388-8092 CT.

Alan, This is why I went into a small business where we could make our path with our own methods. We always risk the hose. That sounded kind of wierd.

Jul 12, 2011 10:50 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Peter - sounded better in your head, didn't it?

Jul 13, 2011 02:58 AM
Trisha Bush-LeFore
Preferred Properties Land & Homes - Walla Walla, WA
Providing Realtor Services in the Walla Walla Area

Excellent article ~ as always.  Very timely for my self induced - self assessment.  I use to be a huge risk taker, then became afraid to take risks when the market crashed. . . and now, I take calculated risks. 

Jul 13, 2011 06:14 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

amina - I will not be contacting you, but I have reported you to Active Rain as a "spamster".

Preferred - a calculated risk is an educated risk.

Jul 13, 2011 07:02 AM