Monday Motivation….. October 26, 2026 (822)
During the British Rule, officials grew concerned about the rising number of venomous cobras in Delhi. To tackle the issue, they introduced a bounty for every dead snake.
At first, the policy seemed successful, many cobras were killed.
But soon, an unintended consequence appeared. Enterprising locals began breeding cobras to claim the reward. Once the government realised this loophole and scrapped the bounty programme, the breeders released their now-worthless snakes. The result? The cobra population surged to even higher levels than before.
This episode is remembered as the Cobra Effect, a classic example of how well-meaning incentives can backfire, producing the exact opposite of the intended outcome.
Moral:
The “Cobra Effect” is such a powerful reminder that policies and incentives don’t just create results, they create behaviours.
When you reward outcomes without thinking of human ingenuity, people will always find a shortcut.
That’s why in governance, business, or even personal systems — designing incentives matters more than setting targets. Otherwise, you end up with more cobras, not less.
Have a great week ahead…!
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