This upset me, so I turned to an employee that I felt comfortable confiding in. After listening to my rants, the employee looked at me and gave me one phrase that has stuck with me to this day. “You must remember,” he said, “that the higher up the ladder a monkey climbs, the more of his behind you see.” While at first this statement seemed odd, the more I have thought about it as I have advanced in my career, the more its meaning has become clear.
When someone moves up the career ladder, responsibilities increase. Along with these increased responsibilities come greater consequences. One bad decision, one lapse in judgment can break a career. Thus, the higher up that ladder they climb, the more adverse to risk they become. They will do anything to protect their backside and won’t make a move unless the outcome is certain and risk is low.