Article by Ben Bradshaw - Wellbeing and Brilliance Creator at Human Brilliance
Introduction
Most organisational cultures are not consciously designed. The culture of an organisation is inherited, reinforced over time and often never questioned. The way things are done becomes “just how it is”, long before anyone asks whether it feels safe, fair, or supportive.
Culture is often formed in the small, everyday moments at work. Such as how decisions are made, whose voices are heard, what happens when mistakes are made, and how difference or disagreement is managed. Over time, this can create the sense of having an unspoken rulebook, which outlines what is rewarded, what is tolerated, and what is quietly discouraged. Not through policies or strategies, but through observation and the employee experience. Organisational culture is not what is intended, but what is experienced.
The Monkeys and the Ladder Experiment
There’s a tale often shared in organisational development, which we call ‘The Monkeys and the Ladder Experiment”. A group of monkeys are placed in a cage with a ladder and bananas at the top. Each time one monkey climbs the ladder, the others are punished. Over time, no one climbs. Eventually, the punishment is removed completely (no more spray) and the monkeys are replaced one by one with new monkeys, yet the behaviour remains. Any monkey who approaches the ladder is quickly stopped by the others, even though they have no direct memory of that happening before.
This isn’t a true experiment, it is a popular fable and metaphor for social conditioning and conformity, originating from a 2011 Psychology Today article. It works because it captures something that feels familiar about organisational life, behaviours that are enforced long after the original reason has disappeared. What’s striking is how quickly control moves from an external rule to an internal sense of knowing. No one needs to enforce the rule anymore as the group, or the team, does it for itself.
From an organisational psychology perspective, this makes total sense. Humans are wired to scan for safety and belonging. In workplaces, many rules are unspoken and we quickly pick up cues about what helps us fit in and what might put us at risk. We also use our intuition to adapt accordingly e.g. We speak up or we stay silent, We take initiative or we keep our heads down. These adaptations often shape the culture of an organisation.
"In short, psychological safety is a crucial source of value creation in organizations operating in a complex, changing environment.” - Amy Edmondson
The Ladder
In the experiment, we believe that the ladder represents far more than a physical object. It also symbolises actions or behaviours that would involve risk, both real and perceived. Such as speaking up, offering a different perspective, challenging power, trying something new, or making oneself visible. These are often the very behaviours organisations say they want, they may even print them in large font in the values section of their website. But it is the culture that quietly teaches people that climbing the ladder can come at a cost.
The ladder becomes a useful metaphor for organisational culture because it is experienced very differently depending on where someone stands; often at the intersection of role and identity.
For junior or early-career staff
For marginalised or underrepresented staff
For senior leaders
What does this mean for Psychological Safety?
Psychological safety is the shared belief that a team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. It means people feel able to speak up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes without fear of humiliation or punishment. At its heart, it’s about trust and respect in action. Thinking about the monkeys in the experiment, there was no trust, just fear of stepping the ladder. By the end, they didn’t know for certain they would be punished, but it wasn’t worth the risk.
The founder of the term ‘Psychological safety’, Amy Edmondson, states that is is broadly defined as “a climate in which people are comfortable expressing and being themselves. More specifically, when people have psychological safety at work, they feel comfortable sharing concerns and mistakes without fear of embarrassment or retribution. In short, psychological safety is a crucial source of value creation in organizations operating in a complex, changing environment.”
Psychological safety can grow when leaders model uncertainty, invite challenge, and respond with openness rather than defensiveness. What matters most is not just an encouraging voice but how the organisation responds. The key for leaders of an organisation is to know what people are perceiving of the culture. What do the employees think is being communicated? Where are the ladders? But most importantly, why are they scared of climbing them?
Self-reflection
Pause for a moment and reflect on your own organisational context.
What are the ladders in your organisation?
What have people learned about safety?
What is an unspoken rule in your workplace?
What signals are being sent, intentionally or not?
Conclusion
The Monkeys Experiment reminds us that human behaviour is rarely about efforts or attitude. It is about authentic communication, connection and safety. When people feel safe enough to climb, challenge, and question, only then can creativity and growth return. Human brilliance has room to emerge. Creating cultures where human brilliance can thrive doesn’t begin with asking people to be braver. It begins with creating conditions where it is genuinely safer to climb.
If you want to discuss how Human Brilliance can support you and your teams - get in touch at info@humanbrilliance.co.uk or visit our website www.humanbrilliance.co.uk.
