The Invisible Gorilla

When we don't want to acknowledge the presence of a gorilla in the living room, it can be tempting to step on ants in the front yard or to explore the bushes for any troublesome snails.

Consultant reports often start with the minor creatures and then, by the ninth paragraph or so, get to the gorilla. The reason for that flow is the gorilla is rarely a recent arrival to the organization. It has been breaking furniture - and legs - for years and yet no one has confessed to any encounters or even to a whiff of the beast. The truth must be gently revealed: By the way, there is a gorilla in the living room.

Once the subject is surfaced, however, numerous sightings are confirmed by people who knew it was there, but did not want to be the first person to report its presence. [That's what consultants are for!] They've sensed that being first can result in being last.

The reason for their reluctance is another gorilla.