We don’t do what comes naturally, we do what comes culturally

Say hello to Phil and Phyliss Fleabody!

Fleabytes is our series of cartoons taking a wry look at all things business; the ups, the downs, the triumphs, the struggles and the pure eccentricities! 

The idea for Fleabytes came about after we read about the behaviour of fleas when they were put in a jar. At first, all the fleas simply jumped out of the open jar. When a lid was then placed on top, they still tried to jump out but soon discovered that this was painful and quickly learnt to jump just below the lid.

After observing this behaviour for a short while, the lid was again removed but the fleas remained in the jar.  They had conditioned themselves to such an extent that they could no longer see the opportunity when the lid was off.  They were basing their future expectations of ‘fleadom’ on their painful experiences in the past.

People working within organisations are like this.  They find security in what is familiar.  There may have been a time when they took a risk by breaking out of their warm and comfortable box to try something a little different, but the painful results sent them running straight back. 

Have a look at our cartoons, below, and see if you recognise any scenarios.