to shift an unwelcome burden onto another party, for example from subordinate to manager or amongst the various parties to a complex transaction; the metaphor uses monkeys to evoke their potential to cause disruption or chaos, given their wildness, agility, and general chittering; the expression derives from a classic Harvard Business Review article from 1974 in which managers are counseled to ensure monkeys remain on the backs of their subordinates, which reduces the risk of getting bogged down in inefficient work and empowers others to act; a monkey clinging to one’s back is presumably difficult to confront directly or remove but cannot be left unaddressed, for obvious reasons