Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life

Rating:
Summary: Are You Or Your Organization Facing Change?
Review: If you are, and if you are uncertain about whether and when to forge ahead, this little tale can add some valuable perspective. Taking much less than an hour to read, don't let the size of this book fool you. Learning is often best undertaken through an example, and this clever parable offers four examples of attitudes toward change.

While consulting at the home offices of a large financial services firm I recommended this book to several persons with whom I had contact. Persons in large organizations often resist change, especially when inevitable changes in business practices force exploration of new frontiers. I found that some of those persons who read the book were easier to interact with as to the new project of which I was a proponent.

Back in my own firm of five employees, I had each of them read this book and their response was very positive. They are much more willing to see the changes I was proposing and implementing as new opportunities, not threats to the "status quo."

Not everyone will like this book. For those people who never confront major changes in their lives (whether work-related, or moving to a new city, or major changes in personal relationships) this book will not have much applicability. Those who do deal with inevitable changes are likely to enjoy this book.

This book only illustrates possible reactions to change, and in doing so encourages persons to venture forth in an adverturous spirit and with less fear. This book does not explore the detail of differences in personalities that may explain why persons react to change differently. For more detail in understanding personalities see various books discussing personality types (such as "Do What You Are") or the Kathy Kolbe book "Conative Connection".

If you are the leader of an organization facing change (as most do, especially in this fast-paced world), or the member of a group facing change and wondering why you must change, this "Cheese" book is for you. Chances are you'll find it fascinating, and worthy of subsequent lunch room discussions with co-workers. For large organizations facing major shifts in direction, I encourage their CEOs to purchase a copy of this book for every person in the organization.

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Summary: A Pathetic Attempt at Social Control
Review: This book was well written, for condescending blather. The whole concept of the book is to provide a system of internalized social control over workers, citizens, etc. by advancing the notion that change, in and of itself, is a virtue of progress and, therefore, must be embraced.

The elitist pursuit of a technological utopia in our system of post industrial, monopoly capitalism requires change, change, change - at the expense of the work force as well as regular citizens. It is quite a bit easier to facilitate unpleasant industrial initiatives when individuals most effected by those initiatives are complicit with both their means and ends. The purpose of Who Moved My Cheese is to indoctrinate those buffeted by seemingly arbitrary change into becoming pliable, tractable individuals who not only comply with anything that smacks of change, but who never question the ethics of any resultant personal or societal upheaval.

You certainly won't find any self respecting trade unionists in this maze. Any cooperation between the participants is merely to facilitate the ultimate domestication of the individual in service of "benign" authority who maintains the maze and provides the cheese. There is absolutely no hint that "workers" in the maze are entitled to the cheese in the first place. The message is "Go with the flow, and don't make waves; the people in charge know what is best." Any scrambling for cheese is portrayed as maladjustment on the part of the mouse who scrambles.

Rating:
Summary: Ch-Ch-Change... Isn't So Bad
Review: WHO MOVED MY CHEESE? is a book with a message that has almost universal relevance. In short: change is inevitable so you better adapt and move when it happens.

As someone who doesn't fear change but also doesn't always like it, what I gained most from reading this story was an attitude adjustment. Serious changes, for the most part, can't be avoided. When they occur, Spencer Johnson points out that the way we accept or deny the change can make all the difference in the world. Embracing it (even begrudgingly) can give you a boost and a head start on the new circumstances, while refusing to accept it can bring nothing positive. I was able to see that my tendency to mope along and drag my feet was hurting no one but myself; if I'm not going to change then someone else will do it for me. In the workforce this reality is magnified.

WHO MOVED MY CHEESE? is a simple book--quick and fun to read--with an important message. Perhaps even more important today, when change seems to occur at an accelerated pace. Do yourself a favor and pick it up, and move with the cheese. It'll make life a lot easier in the long run. FOUR STARS.

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Summary: Quick and Insightful
Review: My first experience reading this book was on an airplane. I was amazed by the response from other people on the plane who had also read the book. "I loved it," said the woman sitting next to me. The woman on the other side, said she gave the book to her teenage grandchildren who reluctantly read story but were forever changed by the amusing parable.

This is a story about mice and people running through a maze, finding the newest and best cheese. It connects strongly to our own concepts of finding the newest and best paths to happiness. Sometimes we fear that we will never find "new cheese" or a new source of happiness, and we think about giving up. However, if we keep looking, even if challenged by other factors, we will prevail.

While this story requires a bit of imagination and the ability to relate the story to real life, it is quick and enjoyable reading. I would suggest this gift as a graduation present for any young person transitioning to college or the real world. This is the kind of book that I will keep in my collection for a long time. So I can pull it out whenever I need to be reminded to go find the cheese!

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Summary: Dharma stuff
Review: If we in the United States wish to understand the nature of impermanence, and the suffering that comes from our attachment to "things," results, and outcomes, a better book will be Jack Kornfield's A Path with Heart. This book very keenly describes the basic dharma of Buddhism as it merges with psychology. Albert Einstein considered Buddhism the most appropriate religion for the modern era. Books about cheese and mice confuse what really should be a simple concept.

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Summary: Good advice we can all stand to hear again
Review: "Who Moved My Cheese?" is a modern parable about theinevitability of change. Four characters live in a maze searching for\223cheese\224. Two are mice, two are small humans. The cheeserepresents things in life we really want: for the mice, food, for thehumans it can be anything from wealth, a good job, status, goodrelationships, etc. The mice are adept at finding the cheese in themaze and single-mindedly search it out, no matter where it is. Thehumans (\223Hem\224 and \223Haw\224) are much more resistant tochange, preferring to stay where they are, even when the cheese supplydwindles and eventually disappears.

The moral of the story is thatchange is inevitable in today's world. Indeed, change is one of thebuilding blocks of the universe, though most people can't stand tohave things change on them. The point of the book is to realize thatchange WILL happen, try to see it coming, and adapt when it hits; verymuch an expanded version of the old saying, \223bend like a reed inthe wind.\224

\223Cheese\224 is a publishing phenomena and it seemseither you love it or your hate it. Some people have called it driveland a waste of time while others report that reading the book haschanged their lives for the better. Personally, I lie somewhere inthe middle. I agree that if you're given the book you should watchout, change is about to hit you in the head, (although you shouldcount yourself lucky to work in a company prosperous enough to affordcopies for everyone). It is written at a very elementary level whichsome people may find condescending, especially those who have advanceddegrees or who read a lot of dense business materials all day long(the Flesch-Kincaid scale rates it at a 7th grade readinglevel).

However, it's usually the simple messages and parables thatare worth paying attention to and have timeless relevance. If themessage is \223be flexible\224 or \223stay alert for change\224 oreven \223sometimes you have to take risks if you want to get anywherein life\224, then it's a worthwhile message to hear again and againbecause most of us forget these things. Yes, the book can be read inless than an hour by most readers, but this doesn't necessarily makeit a waste of time-- I personally have wasted a LOT more time waitingfor busses, in meetings, in doctor offices or watching TV ormindlessly surfing the Internet.

Generally I am suspicious of booksthat go into a publishing blitz because they tend to burn very brightbut for only a short time (\223Awaken the Giant Within\224 and\223Iron John\224 comes to mind as an examples of books that swept thenation like wildfire, then just as quickly died out). People buy thebook by the hundredweight and press it on friends and coworkers, butjust as quickly forget about it and it winds up collecting dust orbeing sold secondhand.

It's worth the 30 minutes to read through,it may even jolt you awake a little bit (and there's nothing wrongwith that), but I wouldn't classify it as life-changing or profound nomatter how many weeks it's spent on the best seller list. Borrow orbuy it, read it, think about it in relationship to your own life, andthen lend it to someone else. The advice is common and we've heard itall before, but most of us can stand to hear it again.

Rating:
Summary: Quick reading and valuable insights.
Review: Great book - cheap, quick easy reading, valuable insights. Recommended for anyone who has ever had to deal with a changing enviroment, changing goals, or burnout. - And haven't we all?

It's written as a simple, but very insightful parable that relates reaching goals to finding cheese in a maze. Sometimes the cheese runs out, turns bad, or has just been moved. What goal the cheese represents is purposely not specified and could be whatever you feel defines success or happiness in your particular context - wealth, spiritual fullfillment, relationships, or whaever.

Many self-help books that I've read are thinly veiled marketing tools designed to get tease the reader into buying more books, seminars, or management tools. Others demand that you change your life by eating right, exercising, or embracing some tenet of spirituality.

One of the most refreshing things about this book is that it does none of those things. It simply helps you to see your relationship to your "Cheese" in a new light, which may help you to discover when a situation has changed and determine when it's time to do something about it.

Rating:
Summary: I think it just might help
Review: I work for a company that has undergone severe changes in the past few years. Including moving from manual data & inventory storage to updated, on-line computerized everything, along with the opening of 1 new location and merger with 2 other companies, which moved us from banch distribution to distribution centers. I've heard gossip and rumors of job losses and branch closings and watched talented co-workers move on to other companies and occupations. All generated by fear of the unknown, and what was percieved as unfair treatment. I'm recommending this book to the CEO of our company. They keep saying they're trying to find ways to get people to come "on board" with the upcoming changes. I think this book, with it's light hearted, childrens story parrable, just might help. It's not offensive, and no one tells you what you "have" to do. It presents itself simply and leaves you to figure out how it applies to your own life or work situation. It gets 4 stars because it's a little pricey for the length and size, after all it's a 20-30 minute read - max.

Rating:
Summary: Who recommends this glop?
Review: Basically I take exception to most of the authors' beginning assumptions. Things like 'change always requires a reaction', 'only fear stops us from pursuing change', and 'change is always for the better.'

First of all he has his mice & people living in a maze. He asserts that they should not fear the maze and in addition, he has added a benign greater being (i.e. God or a Scientist?) who always renews the supply of cheese and intends no harm to our inhabitants. As we are led through the maze, running, we see that there is no real harm to be experienced in the maze and the only goals and experiences are limited to self gratification and survival. Amazingly, there are no consequences for running blindly towards change (I would think one might experience feelings of loss, grief, betrayal, etc.). And we are further directed to continually reevaluate our cheese and if it is moldy cast it off and go in search of new cheese.

Yes change is inevitable. Sometimes gradually and so discreetly as to not even be perceived and sometimes in a split second our lives can change so dramatically as to be virtually unrecognizable. But surely not all changes require us to 'run' or to even change in an equally reactive capacity. Common sense alone tells us that sometimes it is better to hunker down and NOT MOVE AT ALL. Some changes must simply be endured. Not everything that happens in our lives is 'fixable' or made better by running forward and embracing that change.

In my version of the book, I need additional characters to Hem, Haw, Sniff & Scurry. We as humans are not relegated to one of these four responses to change. The characters I would add are Patience, Fortitude, Loyalty, Trust, Faith, Charity and Perseverance. Poor Hem, he could have used some Charity and Loyalty. I can't help but wonder if he will now stalk and kill Haw who betrayed and abandoned him in pursuit of new cheese. And is Haw so selfish that he experiences no remorse over abandoning Hem?

Secondly, I don't live in a maze in a pristine world where cheese just appears and replenishes and where there are no dangers or consequences for my actions. I live in a real world that is sometimes joyous to belong to and at other times filled with very real dangers or threats. Here are these rather intellectually limited creatures living blissfully in a maze being supplied their cheese on an ongoing basis and all they have to do is run after it. Last time I looked, just running to a new locale didn't solve anything.

If you want real change, then jump the wall of the maze, buy a cow and set up your own dairy. Then feed all the creatures, teach them self-sufficiency and branch out into farming and other pursuits. Take charge of the direction of your life, run blindly through no mans' maze.

Some changes will call for a rallying of resources and action on my part. Some change that may affect me, may be only residual fallout from changes affecting another. Should I now go off half cocked and assume I must change also? Am I to live my life constantly reacting to others? Am I not permitted to just endure some changes?

As for constantly reevaluating and sniffing my cheese: What is cheese but a dairy product that has gone moldy? Mold is inherent in the nature of cheese (and all things living). Some of the best cheeses in the world in the opinions of connoisseurs and myself (blue, Roquefort, Stilton) actually have large visible veins of mold running through them and reek to high heaven. Yet they are highly prized over newer younger cheeses like Camembert or Brie. They are considered 'ripe', a very desirable characteristic. I prefer the complexities of an older, moldy cheese.

If we were to continually to question the merits of what we have versus the merits of what we might have, I think we should never experience a happy or content moment in life ever again. That to me would be tragic and intolerable and require a BIG change. Life is not guaranteed to be always happy and smooth, without pitfalls and pratfalls, anger and laughter, etc. But it is guaranteed to be all those things and to be changing continually. Some change we will embrace, some we will push away, some we may flat out deny and some are to be simply endured.

The idea that, by changing ourselves and/or our behavior on a continuous basis to accommodate changes as they occur will somehow make these changes less traumatic or easier or more valid or okay, just strikes me as fallacious reasoning. Are we to be so fickle to our beliefs as to constantly be adrift on the current of change? Are we no longer to live life in the here and now savoring all the small good things that make life worthwhile? Are we now to live with all thoughts focused ahead anxiously seeking out, identifying and dealing only with anticipated changes?

Life is not made up only of the pursuit of cheese. A long or short term absence of cheese is not what defines the meaning of life and it therefore does not require immediate action. There are other pursuits: physical, academic, artistic, spiritual and emotional that are also worthwhile and sustain us at times when the cheese is less than perfect.

Rating:
Summary: People & cheese
Review: I thought the book was a laugh. Lots of parallels could be seen with typical working people... especially (so called) high-power office-types who think the world revolves around them. Naturally, these types would see the book as overly simplistic to the point of seeming patronising: however, that attitude is tantamount to missing the obvious.

The whole message of the book is about keeping an open mind; not so much with one's job (though, I suppose the book is aimed at those who have a regular job) but in life generally.