I used to have a boss that had a sign on her desk: “No monkeys accepted.” I would make a face every time I saw that sign as I wasn’t entirely sure what it meant. Finally, I asked her the meaning behind the sign. She told me that she will not allow anyone to transfer a problem from them to her. She is there to provide counsel, to listen, to ask questions, but she refuses to assume ownership over the problem. She refuses to allow someone to put the monkey on her back.