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‘Who Moved My Cheese?’ is a bestselling allegory based on two little people and two mice in a maze, in search of cheese, where each character portrays a different attitude towards change, with cheese being what we consider success.
Introduction
Book’s Name - Who Moved My Cheese?
Author’s Name - Spencer Johnson
Genre - Self-help/Motivational
Language - English
Synopsis - Spoiler Alert!
Set in a maze, the story revolves around four characters and their quest for Cheese. The two mice go by the name of Sniff and Scurry and the two little people are named Hem and Haw. The former are simple-minded beings who employ a trial and error process and use their instincts to find Cheese.
On the other hand, the little people with their complex brains are sophisticated folks and proceed carefully based on their past experiences. While the mice may have an inefficient method, the little people were often swayed astray by their beliefs and emotions.
About the Author
Spencer Johnson was a professional who left behind a medical career to write short books about life and business. He went to become a New York Times bestselling author and won several accolades before he died in 2017 at the age of 78.
About the Book
When old school friends come together for a reunion, conversations turn deep as they contemplate out loud how their lives have changed since their school heydays. Most talk about their struggle with and fear of unexpected changes on which Michael is prompted to tell a story. He claims that this simple and humorous story had changed his life.
Learning Outcomes
The Handwriting on the Wall:
Change Happens : They Keep Moving The Cheese.
Change is inevitable and a manager needs to factor in that idea whenever laying out plans. Reflexivity is one of the defining characteristics of a team.
Anticipate Change : Get Ready For The Cheese To Move.
A good leader has the gift of anticipation and never lets themselves be taken aback by any change, big or small. One must be receptive and acutely aware of the surrounding environment.
Monitor Change : Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old.
The manager must not forget to analyse the present situation whilst looking toward the future. Everything has a limited life cycle and will phase out one day or the other, therefore, it is necessary to be cognizant of the Cheese's age.
Adapt To Change Quickly : The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can Enjoy New Cheese.
In Darwin's world, it is always the fittest who survives. The one who fails to keep up will soon be left behind. A good manager adapts instinctively and unhesitatingly and never gets too comfortable because it is beyond the comfort zone where the most wondrous treasures await.
Change : Move With The Cheese.
As Haw says, “Old beliefs will not lead you to New Cheese”. A leader must learn to go with the flow of the world.
Enjoy Change! : Savour The Adventure And Enjoy The Taste Of New Cheese!
One must never be afraid of change. Initially, it may seem hard but a manager must open themselves to enjoying and exploiting it before the next tide comes in.
Be Ready To Change Quickly And Enjoy It Again : They Keep Moving The Cheese.
The waves will never stop coming and they should not be able to destabilize, physically and mentally, the organisation. One must have a growth mindset and keep upskilling because there is always more Cheese available elsewhere.
Famous Quotes
“What you are afraid of is never as bad as what you imagine. The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exists.”
“He knew sometimes some fear can be good. When you are afraid things are going to get worse if you don't do something, it can prompt you into action. But it is not good when you are afraid that it keeps you from doing anything.”
“Sometimes, Hem, things change and they are never the same again. This looks like one of those times. That's life! Life moves on. And so should we.”
“Life is no straight and easy corridor along which we travel free and unhampered, but a maze of passages, through which we must seek our way, lost and confused, now and again checked in a blind alley. But always, if we have faith, a door will open for us, not perhaps one that we ourselves”
The Bottom Line
The book and its lessons have become especially important in today's day and age. What with the shaky political, geographic, environmental, and technological climate.
The changes are coming faster and are increasingly impactful. The discipline of Change Management is not just a lesson for manager or leaders, but for anyone who wants to do more than just staying afloat.
When it comes to automation, Yuval Harari talks about the fast-turning-obsolete truck driver and one might think that jobs which require emotional intelligence are secure, however, each one of us must remain wary because it all seems impossible until someone makes it possible.
Change is inevitable and it has a way of catching up when you least expect it to. It is up to oneself to pick the character they want to be in the story---it is either Hem, Haw, Sniff, or Scurry.
My ratings for the book - 4 on 5
Get your Amazon copy here - Who Moved My Cheese?
Written By - Aishanya Nigam
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