Rating: 
Summary: Changing with change
Review: Hollard Phillips"Who Moved My Cheese"
Review Spencer Johnson provides both insight and hindsight in his book "Who moved my cheese. The book is simply written and points shared are invaluable. Working for State government for 23 years, I have learned some of this book's points from personal experience. Policy is constantly changing because our leadership is also constantly changing due to elections. As a Program Manager, I have supervised staff that possesses some of the same mindsets as the characters in the book. Successful organizations are the ones that are able to be proactive and anticipate change. Whether personal or professional change will happen. Budget cuts and limited resources is a time to see who has the skills to survive and the vision to adopt to change. I have learned to anticipate change as Johnson's states as one of his premises. 911 caught all of America off guard. So recently, Bioterrorism Preparedness has become an important part of Public Health focus on anticipating threats and responding accordingly. When I began working for Public Health we were totally funded by Grant-in-aid and county funding. Change caused Public Health or at least our district to move quickly to fee for services, billing Medicaid and Medicare, and even writing grant applications. I highly recommend this book to first time managers and any adult who needs insight on preparing for and adapting to change. Any person who has trouble "moving beyond their fears" should definitely read this book. I have read it 5 times and each time I am more enlightened. Life is complex but most of life's problems have simple solutions. "Who Moved My Cheese" provides us with a lot of those simple solutions.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding---I've found my cheese!
Review: Before reading Who Moved My Cheese I felt like a mouse in a maze trying to find my cheese, but everybody kept moving it on me. Dealing with that was hard and difficult. When I first heard about this book, I was put off. Sounded lik a stupid title...until I looked at who wrote the book and read the foreward by Kenneth Blanchard. I had read many of Kenneth Blanchards books and felt that if he put his seal on it and was impressed enough to write the foreward, it must be great. I was even more impressed when I heard that Exxon, General Motors, Goodyear, Kodak, Marriott, Whirlpool, Zerox and many other major companies had people recommending Who Moved My Cheese. Today it is not enough to be good, you have to become great. You cannot used what worked yesterday. We are in a constant state of change. When I realized that by reading this book, my whole personal and professional life changed--I made a 180-degree turnaround. I am now recommending Who Moved My Cheese to everyone in my organization. Outstanding book. A must read.
Rating: 
Summary: too cheesy for me
Review: When I saw that one of our assignments this semester was to read and review the book Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, I was actually looking forward to it, as I knew very little about the book but had noticed it on the bestseller lists, and thought I might actually enjoy reading it. Little did I know that it would be a complete waste of half an hour. The best thing about the book was that I borrowed it from the local public library, and could just return it, instead of actually investing $19.95 in it! Spencer Johnson's mind-numbingly simple book is the story of four characters (two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two "little people", Hem and Haw) who live in a "Maze" and search around for "Cheese" (whatever it is that we want to have in life). Each of the characters reacts differently when their cheese disappears (a metaphor for a change in work or life), and the different lessons (or "Handwriting on the Wall") are spelled out as the story goes along. First off, I was astounded at how simplistic the writing style was (and in such a large font!)-much like that of a children's book. To me, all of the "handwriting on the wall" was painfully obvious and even laughable as it went along. I suppose I should be grateful that I have never had to work in a large corporate environment where this kind of drivel is considered "life-changing" or even "enlightening." However, I can imagine the situation where this sort of book might be useful to upper management in terms of brain-washing employees to accept whatever changes they are forcing upon them. The basic ideas of the book (that anticipating, monitoring, and reacting to change quickly make it easier to adapt) are sound, but it is written in such a condescending manner that I found it somewhat insulting to read. I think I have known all of these things since high school! In addition, the author seems to only consider the black-and-white situation where Change Is Good, whereas anyone who lives in the real world knows that change is often a grey area, with both good and bad consequences. Learning how to deal with changes in one's life is important, but it seemed that the author's point was to just accept the changes that "they" make, and learn to live with and enjoy whatever is given to you. In terms of how this book relates to my work, I am fortunate to be in a position that compels me to deal with new situations constantly and does not allow me to become stagnant or stale. The nature of my work (biology research) forces me to discover new ways to solve problems on a daily basis, so I am never doing the same thing every day. Having never been a fan of the whole genre of "self-help" books, it's probably not surprising that I did not enjoy or get anything out of Who Moved My Cheese. And, knowing that a condescending know-it-all like Dr. Phil can have a hit TV show in this country, maybe I shouldn't be surprised that a book like Who Moved My Cheese? is #1 on the bestseller lists.
Rating: 
Summary: Scurry Fury
Review: Prior to reading the "Cheese" story, I was familiar with the use of the author's concepts by management teams to help their employees adjust to organizational change. In fact, I wore a button at work one afternoon that read, "I Moved My Cheese!" after attending a training session for a new computer system that my former employer was implementing. I missed the opening remarks of the training session, so I never learned the details of the story. Nevertheless, I wore the button anyway. I thought it was cute. When the four characters of the story are faced with change, they each react differently. The character's names give an indication of what their response to change would be. Sniff, a mouse, "sniffs" out and anticipates change. Scurry, also a mouse, "scurries" into action immediately. Hem and Haw are little people who both resist change initially. However, Haw learns to adapt when he realizes that change can lead to new experiences and enjoyment. This story does indeed inspire self-reflection. I felt compelled to ask myself, "Who am I?" I determined that I am most like the character, Scurry. My personal and professional life is marked by constant change. I am rarely satisfied for an extended period of time. I have lived in several different cities and have moved too many times to mention. I wish I had a dollar for each time that I have changed my hairstyle. I have held several positions in both private and public organizations. I like to think of myself as ambitious. I wonder if I will ever reach a level of contentment. I certainly hope so. I can't "scurry on" forever. Unfortunately, Dr. Johnson does not offer advice or expound upon the experiences of the two mice. Overall, I am quick to act. Interestingly enough, my nickname from childhood is Jiffy, which means "instant." I conducted an informal poll of my co-worker, friends, and family who are familiar with the "Cheese" story. I asked them, "Which one of the characters am I?" Seven of eight characterized me as Scurry, including a new employee who has only worked with me for less than six months! For me, the most powerful quote from the story was, "What would you do if you weren't afraid?" One of my fears is that I may have acted in haste on more than one occasion. I am afraid my instincts have not always been the best. Not surprisingly, Dr. Johnson says that the mice "got lost, went off in the wrong direction and often bumped into walls." Eventually I, like the mice, have found my way. Each individual must define his or her own "cheese." Apparently, my cheese is change.
Rating:
Summary: Cheesy in it's simplicity but good
Review: Though it's simple minded as heck, it's deeper than you think. This reminds me of the book, The Little Guide To Happiness, in that it's a simple little thing, with lots of wisdom.
Rating:
Summary: Dealing with Change
Review: I enjoyed reading the book and being able to apply the four characters to my life. Sniff and Scurry are able to adapt to change while Hem and Haw have a more difficult time. In fact, it is not clear as to whether Hem ever does adapt to change.
The old saying that the only thing for sure is that nothing stays the same, is so true but most of us including myself have a tendency to never expect change even though it is inevitable.
We need to "sniff" our surroundings in order to anticipate the change and thus not be taken totally by surprise when possible.
I enjoy self-discovery books, but sometimes they are very "deep" and difficult to complete. This book is light and yet can impact life changing attitudes and can be picked up at any time if a "refresher" on acceptance of change is needed.
Rating:
Summary: Who moved my cheese -- review for class
Review: I have heard about this book for a number of years but never read it. Overall I thought it was a nice, sometimes tedious, short story. Many themes were emphasized throughout - knowing that change is inevitable, the importance of overcoming fear of change, envisioning success, and enjoying the ride. Although we are all familiar with these concepts, we all need to hear them again. Although I create change, I, like almost everyone else, need to constantly challenge myself and be aware of change. I enjoy reading books like "Who Moved My Cheese?" often to remember the importance of these themes. I sometimes feel worried about having my "cheese" taken away. I have to constantly reread the writing on the wall.
Rating: 
Summary: Good book if you weren't forced to read it
Review: The reviews on this book certainly run the gamut. I think one of the main reasons it has gotten so many lousy reviews is that, as one reviewer mentioned, this book is being shoved down a lot of people's throats at the office. And if somebody is not in a good work environment, they most certainly aren't going to be very receptive to a book that they are forced to read. That being said, I actually thought the book was pretty good. But you must keep in mind the scope of it. Basically, it's a nice little story that encourages you not to fear change, but to keep trying different strategies and persist until you achieve your goal. All of us at one time or another have gotten frustrated with setbacks or impatient when something doesn't immediately go our way like we had planned. This book will remind you to keep pushing and seek out creative solutions to whatever problems you face. I find it a little amusing that the book was marketed heavily to corporations. Granted, it's a great strategy for the author since it's likely that a large portion of the copies in print were sold through this channel. But, in reality, corporations are notorious for loving the status quo and resisting change. Call me cynical, but I wonder how much of the book was truly taken to heart by corporate America. In conclusion, I'd recommend getting the book if you're having problems dealing with change in any aspect of your life. It seems like it would be especially good as a gift for a young person (e.g. high school or college graduate) who may still be going through the trial and error process of finding their niche in life. Greg Blencoe
Author, The Ten Commandments for Managers
Rating:
Summary: An A-mazing way to deal with change - Get this book!
Review: Who Moved My Cheese is an A-musing and powerful book. Written in the form of a parable, Who Moved My Cheese reveals profound truths about change. "Cheese" is used as a metaphor for what you want to have in life. Could be a better relationship, a better job, your own business, more money, peace of mind, better health, or spiritual peace of mind. The story is about four characters who live in a maze and the maze is where you look for what you want, the company you work for (or want to work for), the family or community you live in or the industry you want to start your business in. This is an amusing and entertaining story about four characters. In the story, the characters are faced with unexpected change. One succeeds and writes about it on the wall---the handwriting is on the walls. And for those of us who read and understood the meaning of the story in this book also discovered how to deal with change...successfully. Therefore enjoying more success and less stress in your work and in your life. This book is ideal for all ages. Kids love it and get it easier than many of the adults. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: It's all about change
Review: One constant in this new world is change. Everybody knows that, but how do you handle it? In this excellent book by Spencer Johnson you will learn in a storybook style how to deal with change. Analytical types will not like this book. And analytical times hate change. One thing they will never change is from being so analytical and usually negative. Who Moved My Cheese is one of those rare books that comes along once in a great while. It is must reading for anyone who once to thrive, not just survive in the 2000's. Forget the negative, analytical types. Instead read Who Moved My Cheese and learn from it. Another powerful book is Rich Dad Poor Dad and Super Self by Charles Givens.
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