What Does The Fable "Belling The Cat"� Tell Us About Committees?

This fable is sometimes known as "The committee of mice." A cat was causing death and destruction among the local mice. So many had been lost or threatened that at last the mice formed a committee to decide what should be done with the cat. After much debate, they agreed that the best solution would be to put a bell round the cat's neck, as then it would no longer be able to creep up on them.

They were delighted with this idea, and spent hours debating what the bell should be made of, what sort of ribbon it should have and so on. The mouse who had made the proposal was publicly honoured. This went on until one old mouse said quietly, "Who is going to put the bell on the cat?"

Silence fell. At last, muttering excuses, one by one the other mice shuffled away. No bell was ever put on the cat.