Page 152 - How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win

HOW DO I BUILD A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT? (EFFECTIVE WORK CULTURE OR SETTING)

Two suspects are arrested by the police. The police have
insufficient evidence for a conviction and, having separated
both prisoners, visit each of them to offer the same deal. If
one testifies against the other and the other remains silent,
the betrayer goes free and the silent accomplice receives the
full 10-year sentence. If both remain silent, both prisoners
are sentenced to only six months in jail for a minor charge.
If each betrays the other, each receives a 5-year sentence.
Each prisoner must choose to betray the other or to remain
silent. Each one is assured that the other would not know
about the betrayal before the end of the investigation. How
should the prisoners act?
This dilemma can be summarized as:

PRISONER B STAYS SILENT PRISONER B BETRAYS

Prisoner A Each serves 6 months Prisoner A: 10 years
stays silent Prisoner B: goes free
Prisoner A Prisoner A: goes free
betrays Prisoner B: 10 years Each serves 5 years

Clearly, the best outcome for both parties is obtained if
both remain silent. Each will serve six months but no more.
But if one prisoner takes a chance on this option and the
other does not, that individual will pay for his choice with
10 years of his life while his squeaky accomplice goes free.
Acting selflessly is the best policy if everyone plays by this
rule, but it is risky. If we don’t trust others to act selflessly as
well, we all pay a higher price. This is especially true if we
play the game over and over, as companies do in real life. In
that scenario people quickly learn whether trust and selfless-
ness pay off or self-interest is the rule of the day.

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