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Summary: Change isn't easy...
Review: After reading some of the reviews about this book, I wondered if they even got past the first few pages of "Who Moved the Cheese." This book is not a cure-all for people in the workplace. Instead, it is a guideline for leaders who find themselves in a changing situation and are either unwilling to move are are unsure of what to do."Who Moved the Cheese" essentially paints a picture of four characters -- two mice who move quickly, and two "little people" who would rather wait for more cheese to arrive than to venture out on their own and find the cheese for themselves. We don't see much of the mice again, but are left instead with the story of the people, who write an account of their plight on the walls around them. In business -- as well as in every other area of life -- we are challenged by changing times and circumstances. We each also have options -- such as staying on the course that we've been on and hoping circumstances improve. Often, people in these situations end up complaining that their businesses "were ruined" by an unhealthy climate and that it "wasn't their fault." We also have the option to watch the changing times for opportunities to change our circumstances and improve our chances of success (with no excuses). Again, "Who Moved the Cheese" is not a solution for every situation. It is, however, a motivation treatise which will encourage you to look for new and improved ways to stay successful in a world bent on endless change.
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Summary: A Fable to live by
Review: Fairytales do come true. This is a very clever and simple story about mice who ultimately find the cheese. But on the metaphor-meter, it's a story about learning to notice change, accepting it, and adapting to change. Why? Because you'll lower your blood pressure, you'll get your "cheese" and eat it, too. I read this book in an hour. And, my mind has changed in how I'm approaching change. Buy this book!
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Summary: Encourage people to take control of their own lives
Review: This book is a simple way of helping people understand that change is going to happen, and it's up to them to decide how they will handle it. It doesn't necessarily give practical advice on how to handle any real world situations, it simply explains that we all have choices, no matter how out of control we may feel. Reading this in a group can help facilitate discussion about change in general, and communication is the key in the workplace when dealing with uncertanties. As the previous reviewer said, it's for the heart, but I do think it's also for the mind...for the attitude, and we all have control over our attitudes.
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Summary: Used to be an angry young man, hiding me head in the sand
Review: Spencer Johnson has a talent for writing metaphors that reach the masses i.e. the Precious Present, also a major success. "WMMC", "the One Minute Manager" and "...Present" all enjoy a brevity and focus, which go a long way toward getting the message through to the reader. This book is about dealing with change and as such makes me remember what Darwin said: that longevity of a genealogical line is not a function of strength or intelligence as much as it is the ability of an organism to adapt to change. The author's condensed message echo's this truism. Using a metaphorical world inhabited by four little creatures in a maze (life) with a focal point/goal (cheese), the author sets up an unthreatening mirror within which the reader can superimpose himself. The schism that develops, between how the reader assimilates the story or doesn't, is a function of the readers ability to deal with a change is his/her worldview. Our worldview includes the way we see ourselves, which is where the rub occurs. Neither intelligence nor strength seems to count as much as our ability to see ourselves differently without becoming unraveled. Seeing oneself differently is difficult at best and ego shattering at worst. This part of human nature is unchanged over thousands of years and it's focus, in this book, is what makes this a valuable work. A good job again, Spencer.
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Summary: A Book for the Heart, not for the Mind
Review: I was appalled at the two reviewers who panned this book. They totally missed the point! Who Moved My Cheese was not written for the mind; it was written for the heart. It's no secret that the business environment is churning today. Things are changing so fast, it makes your head spin. There is no security for anyone - from large, established corporations to individual workers. The rules change constantly. Much has been written about the fear of losing one's job. Companies have been downsizing, right-sizing, merging - and dying for many years now. The relationship between employers and employees has changed drastically. And the change is not going to stop; the rate of change is going to increase. Adapting to all these changes, especially the loss of a sense of security, can be extremely traumatic. Who Moved My Cheese is intended to help people, from CEOs to hourly workers, acknowledge that things are changing and that they can deal with it -- even profit from it. It gives people renewed hope, realistic hope. It can help both organizations and individuals redefine who they are and how they can compete in the new marketplace. It's a wake-up call. It's a challenge to transform oneself from a victim to an opportunist.
Rating:
Summary: Good book
Review: I found this book to be a good source of help for an employee of mine who has issues with depression. This book can be used as a good motivational tool by nearly anyone, anytime, anywhere. I also recommend "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" by Taro Gold.
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Summary: Simple is better
Review: I am fascinated with the reviews -- it seems there is no middle ground, either you love it or you hate it. I love it. I am well read in the often intricate advice of the self-help world. It is easy to theorize, but often you walk away with no conviction that you can do it. When I was in high school, I used to solve difficult math problems by first doing a similar, but simpler one. It worked. The genius of this book is precisely its simplicity. It makes it easy for one to apply it in real life, except if one is so caught up with the need for complex instructions, that he deems it an unworthy way to win. True, many of the instructions are very old hat. The strength lies in the simple delivery, in an easily digestible message and conviction that you, too, can win!
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Summary: Simple, Easy To Read
Review: I thought this book was quite good. I enjoyed the story itself and could see my self rather clearly in one of the characters. I thought the introduction was a bit long. I think the reason the this book is so widely appreciated is because the author knew that you have every spectrum of employee in your average company, from those with a Ph.D. all the way to those who did not graduate High School. In order to speak to a wide audience, you must put it into terms for everyone's consumption. This book may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think that change is a regular ingredient in our lives that we must come to grips with. How we react to change (which will always be occurring) can set the tone for our very temperament. Kudos to Dr. Johnson!
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Summary: Simple Writing....Deep Message
Review: I thought this book was quite good. I enjoyed the story itself and could see my self rather clearly in one of the characters. I thought the introduction was a bit long. I think the reason the the book is so widely appreciated is because the author knew that you have every spectrum of employee in your average company, from those with a Ph.D. all the way to those who did not graduate High School. In order to speak to a wide audience, you must put it into terms for everyone's consumption. This book may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think that change is a regular ingredient in our lives that we must come to grips with. How we react to change (which will always be occurring) can set the tone for our very temperament. Kudos to Dr. Johnson!
Rating: 
Summary: contrived
Review: yes, I have also been reading similiar books all saying the same thing but differently. This author was not saying anything new except he made its appeal some simplistic than others. I found the book to be borderline insulting in some aspect. There are companies along with their senior management running around handing out this damn "who moved my cheese" book into really thinking it is a panacea for all the problems they are experiencing. I have read this book three times just to make sure "I am getting it". I got it alright! Change is good!please, it depends on who you are talking to and the experiences at that particular time. Nothing is that simplistic, I agree with the reviewer "show me the Cheese" that Alice in wonderland had more interesting encounters in wonderland and negotiated everyone of them with poise and dignity. Might I suggest a wonderful book that has stood the test of times, it is called "On becoming a Leader". this book has made the most difference in my life started 6 1/2 years ago as an undergraduate and still has an effect on me today. companies need to take more responsiblity and stop hiding under the "axiom " of books like where is my Cheese. maybe when an employee starts receiving this book from an employer as a must read then that should speak volumes. negative? or positive? you decide.
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