Who moved my cheese?

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Using cheese as a metaphor for what we want to have in life: job, relationship, money, freedom, health, recognition etc, and maze being where we spend time looking for what we want, Dr. Spencer Johnson succeeds in sending out a powerful message through two mice and two little people.

 

Sniff – sniffs out change early before others are aware of it.

 

Scurry – sees what is needed and takes action immediately.

 

Hem – denies and resists change as he fears it will lead to something worse.

 

Haw – resists change initially but learns to adapt when he sees changing leads to something better.

 

These characters represent the way different people respond to change. The ones who move on will have a chance to find a new source of comfort, while those that remain behind and resist change are more likely to fail in the long run.

 

The story underlines the importance of change management and suggests readers to expect change, be open about it, communicate it seamlessly and, most important, to enjoy it.

 

Change is a constant phenomena, thus, dealing with it is inevitable. It is, therefore, imperative for leadership to rally change agents behind them to create a positive environment about change.

 

Key takeaways :

 

Change Happens (The cheese always gets moved)

 

Anticipate Change (Be prepared for the cheese to move)

 

Monitor Change (Smell the cheese often to be able to understand when it is getting old)

 

Adapt to change quickly (The quicker the old cheese is let off, the sooner the new cheese will be enjoyed)

 

Change (Move with the Cheese)

 

Enjoy Change (Savor the adventure and enjoy the taste of new cheese)

 

Be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again and again.

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