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Summary
Have you ever thrown your hands in the air, frustrated, and said, 'the monkeys are running the zoo!' If you haven't, I bet one of your co-leaders has.
What does that mean, though? And why does it happen? In this episode we talk about how leaders should respond when they feel the monkeys are running the zoo and discuss another type of 'zoo' that should be avoided at all costs!
Links and resources mentioned in the show
The Authentimeter (free culture survey with option for detailed analysis of results)
Plenty in 20: Holding People Accountable when you Can't Afford to Lose Them (free, on-demand webinar with actionable strategies and tips)
The Culture Nerds Newsletter, a free monthly summary of subscriber resouces
Organisational Culture Surveys for those who want to explore our services
What's next?
Talk to one of our culture and leadership experts - a free 30 minute consultation to problem solve any issue you are facing.
Detailed show description
The culture of your workplace doesn't just happens—it's shaped by leadership choices and team behaviours. In this episode, Simon Thiessen use the 'monkeys running the zoo' metaphor to discuss 'three zoos' that perfectly capture different workplace cultures and the leadership approaches that create them.
What happens when the monkeys are running the zoo? This environment emerges when leaders fail to set clear standards or hold people accountable. Mediocrity becomes normalised, high performers grow frustrated, and when leaders try to raise standards, resistance is fierce. Simon unpacks the affiliative or absent leadership styles that create these situations.
The second zoo represents workplaces ruled by fear, where people avoid taking risks, hide problems, and dread coming to work. These environments stem from directive, demanding, and critical leadership that breaks trust and stifles initiative. Simon shares real-world examples of this fear becoming embedded, requiring consistent positive experiences to rebuild confidence.
But there's a third option. The ideal workplace where people operate with freedom within clear, agreed-upon standards. Here, people understand their purpose, collaborate naturally, and hold each other accountable. Research consistently shows these environments produce happier employees, better customer experiences, and superior results across all metrics.
Creating this culture requires conscious leadership rather than defaulting to comfortable habits, clarity of vision about what excellence looks like, willingness to change (starting with leaders), and a tolerance for the uncomfortable. The journey isn't easy, but the rewards are transformative.
Workplace culture is shaped by leadership choice. We each have a best self and a worst self, and workplace environments can bring out either. Which environment are you creating?
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Thanks to our producer, Josh at JCALdigital.org
