KatM's Full Review: Spencer Johnson - Who Moved My Cheese
I love the idea for this write off! The premise is to incorporate as many clichés into an opinion as possible, while still “making your point”. A special thanks to mind-full, who seems to think she’s a bit “long in the tooth” due to her Epinions 2nd anniversary! So, in honor of that momentous occasion, she’s hosting this event. (Now if THAT's not cliché I don't know what is!) So, don’t be a “stick in the mud”. Head over to Amy’s profile page and read the entries of the others who also "threw their hats into this write-off ring". http://www.epinions.com/user-mind-full
In the “dog eat dog” corporate world where “survival of the fittest” is key, it is important to understand, anticipate and recognize change. Who Moved My Cheese? is a wonderful short little book, which describes “in a nutshell” how deal with change.
Our story begins after a high-school reunion where some former classmates have gathered to "chew the fat" about their lives, kids, “blah, blah, blah”. Successes and failures are noted, and one person, Michael, talks about the difficulty of making change within his company. To “get his point across” he "spins a yarn" about two mice and two little people who set out in search of Cheese. Metaphorically, cheese can stand for your career, relationships, and just about any major life situation in which change can occur. Each of the people listening thought about the story and how it related to their own life situation.
The Story
There were two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two little people, Hem and Haw, in a maze. They set out to find the coveted Cheese. They searched and jogged through the maze, occasionally getting lost. It was a bit “nip and tuck” for a while, but they finally got “on a roll.” Eventually they saw the “light at the end of the tunnel” and proceeded to eat lots of cheese and be happy.
As we all know “the best laid plans of mice and men” often go astray. (Sorry ... I couldn't resist that one)
“Time flies when you are having fun” and “in due time”, things began to change. Sniff and Scurry were “up to speed” and noticed these changes in their environment. Hem and Haw thought they were “out of the woods” and “took for granted” the Cheese. These two developed a “comfort level” in their newly found stash of cheese.
Gradually, the Cheese began to dwindle. Sniff and Scurry were not concerned. When the Cheese was gone, they “sprang into action” put on their running shoes, “made a break for it” and jogged back into the maze in search of New Cheese. “Meanwhile, back at the ranch” Hem and Haw did not notice the dwindling supply of Cheese. They “couldn’t see the forest for the trees”. They couldn’t see the mold growing on their old ideas and outmoded ways. They were “caught off guard” and “fit to be tied” when the Cheese was no longer there. Hem was “madder than a wet hen” and Haw “got his panties in a twist”. Basically, they both “went postal”.
They simply didn’t know what to do. And they were afraid.
Change had occurred and Hem and Haw were left “holding the bag” for their inability to “see the obvious”. Hem became bitter and reluctant to leave the Cheese station in order to find New Cheese. He was too “set in his ways”. He thought he deserved the Cheese, and wanted the Cheese to be returned. He was not interested in finding New Cheese. His old Cheese was the ONLY Cheese he wanted. He was “stubborn as a mule” and refused to leave the empty Cheese station. You might think that Hem was “a few french fries short of a Happy Meal.” But in reality, many people stick with old ways of doing things because it is too frightening or difficult to “change with the times”.
Haw began to be concerned that they were “spinning their wheels”. For a while he “kept his fingers crossed” in hopes that the old Cheese would return. He was afraid of the maze. He didn’t want to venture into the “rat race”. He waited with Hem. It started to become a “sink or swim” situation. He knew he had to “belly up to the bar” and look for new Cheese.
He finally “got over it” “faced his fear” “pulled himself up by his bootstraps” and ventured back out into the maze in search of New Cheese. He left various notes for himself along the walls of the maze as he learned new truths. These became the “Handwriting on the Wall”.
* Having Cheese Makes You Happy.
* The More Important Your Cheese Is To You, The More You Want To Hold On To It.
* Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old.
* Movement In A New Direction Helps You Find New Cheese.
* Imagining Myself Enjoying New Cheese Even Before I Find It, Leads Me To It.
* The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Find New Cheese.
* It Is Safer To Search In The Maze Than Remain In A Cheeseless Situation.
* Old Beliefs Do Not Lead You To New Cheese.
Happily Ever After
Yes, Haw found his way to the New Cheese. He was happy to see Sniff and Scurry already there. He was sorry that he hadn’t “taken the plunge” and set out in search of the New Cheese sooner. Fear had held him back. He missed his friend Hem. He took himself too seriously. But, he eventually “got his priorities straight”. “You can bet your bottom dollar” that Haw was “happy as a clam”, and that he would never “miss the boat” again. He would be alert to the fact that if the Cheese went away once, it could go away again. Next time, he would be ready.
Back to Michael and his friends. Each of them listened to the story of Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw and applied it to their own situations. Did they Sniff out change and create new vision and goals? Did they Scurry into action – needing some assistance to find their way? Did they Hem and Haw around, either eventually moving forward slowly, or wallowing in old habits? Their frank discussion “opens doors” to new ways of interpreting the information contained in the cheese story. After all “what’s a little honesty among friends?” I believe most readers will find something in this area that they can relate to.
The story is simplistic – sometimes patronizingly so. However, there are good philosophical points that are made throughout the book. It helps us to realize the truth in these basic facts:
1) They keep moving the Cheese. (Change Happens)
2) Get ready for the Cheese to move. (Anticipate the Change)
3) Move with the Cheese. (Make the change)
4) Enjoy the taste of New Cheese. (Enjoy the Change!)
Summary
The book is NOT one of “epic proportions” – at a mere 97 pages. It can be read “quick as a wink” in under an hour. This would make an excellent exercise for a staff meeting, especially in anticipation of change. At $10 bucks you won't "lose your shirt" or get "taken for a ride". You won't be paying "a king's ransom" to get this book as a gift for co-workers, friends, or family.
Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life
By Spencer Johnson, M.D. co Author of The One Minute Manager ISBN 0-399-14446-3
Hardcover, 94 pages, $9.95
For the first time, a large-print edition of the #1 bestseller that is transforming how we deal with change.From one of the world's most recognized ex...More at HotBookSale
From one of the world s acknowledged experts on management comes a charming parable filled with insights designed to help readers manage change quickl...More at Buy.com
From one of the world s acknowledged experts on management comes a charming parable filled with insights designed to help readers manage change quickl...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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