Give the monkey what it wants!

The monkey has a fixed mindset, they like to have things done their way. Monkey See, Monkey Do. They learn to do things by mimicry and often do not know the reason and logic behind the act so, what if you start mimicking the monkey’s style and flair?

The monkey may or may not possess any theoretical prowess but being so long out into the field, the monkey does have practical wisdom. This wisdom gained over the years is difficult to beat in a one-on-one confrontation and gives birth to certain biases and stereotypes inside the monkey’s head.

Simple question, even simpler answer, say it with me- the monkey wants the BANANA. So, what is this BANANA?

The Banana in this article is not the fruit, although it would be nice if we could get solutions to our life problems at 0.80C$/lb. The Banana is the key to getting past the monkey, you give the monkey what it wants and go on with your life without the monkey bothering you.

In reality, every monkey you encounter is different, hence the same is true for the banana. The banana in every scenario changes according to the needs of the monkey. To identify the perfect banana you need to understand the trifactorial of the monkey i.e. NEEDS, WANTS AND DEMANDS.

For example, for the interviewer, a need is a candidate, a want is a candidate with desired credentials and demand is to have all above with 5+ years of experience for an entry-level job. But for the examiner, a need is an answer, a want is a correct answer of desired length and demand is to get all with examples.

Firstly, understand the business at hand. Why do you want to use the banana and what is the outcome you want. Once that is established, make your move. Remember, Agreement yields better results than arguments. Play the monkey by using the monkey’s preset notions, bias, like and dislike to tilt the arguments in your favour. Once the level field is uneven the monkey feels inclined to fall for the banana and leaves you alone, e.g., the banana for the interviewer could be some excellent references on top of the required credentials. The banana for the examiner could be an outstanding answer.

Lastly, remember monkeys are monkeys, no matter how evolved they are, they always fall for bananas. The only key is to identify the best banana for the situation at hand and make the most of the moment you overcome a boisterous and raucous monkey. Godspeed!!