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Who Moved my Cheese? (Hardcover)
by Spencer Johnson, Kenneth H. Blanchard (Foreword)
| Category:
Change management, Management |
| Market price: ¥ 228.00
MSL price:
¥ 208.00
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MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
The author powerfully points out through this famous parable that how you change with the outside world determines whether you'll win or lose in business and life. |
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Author: Spencer Johnson, Kenneth H. Blanchard (Foreword)
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Pub. in: September, 1998
ISBN: 0399144463
Pages: 96
Measurements: 8.7 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BA00265
Other information: ISBN-13: 978-0399144462
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- Awards & Credential -
The #1 International Bestseller. The book ranks #110 in books out of millions on Amazon.com as of January 17, 2007. |
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- MSL Picks -
Who Moved My Cheese is a simple parable that presents different mindsets for facing change.
There are strong mixed views on this book. If you approach it looking for a method of making choices (to avoid change), you will be disappointed. But if you are looking for a lesson in coping with forced change, it can greatly improve your attitude and outlook.
Forced changes are those that are out of your control, such as company re-orgs and getting laid off. These are changes you cannot avoid, you must accept and learn to move forward. This book has the most impact if read during a crisis of forced change.
Who Moved My Cheese provides concepts to move you from resentful and afraid, to energized and taking action. The ideas are presented in a simple parable about mice and men in a maze. Each idea is summed up in a one-sentence motivator that makes the concepts clear and memorable.
It is a quick, easy read (big print, simple language) that can help you change your stress into excitement and prepare you for whatever may come.
(From quoting V. Keating, USA)
****
From The Author
My five year old son told me a cheese joke: "What do you call cheese that's not yours?" When I gave up, he laughed and said, "Nacho Cheese!" It made me smile and reminded me to keep having fun with Cheese. I've just seen a new software product that also made me smile. It's called the "Who Moved My Cheese?" Change Survival Kit. It has an electronic game with animated prompts and reminders showing the characters running around inside a maze, reminding us to laugh at ourselves and discover how to do well in changing times. Many years ago, when I was struggling with a difficult change in my life, I created the story of Who Moved My Cheese? to help me take my changing situation seriously, but not take myself so seriously. When my friends noticed how much better life had become for me and asked why, I told them about the "Cheese" story. Several friends said, sometimes years later, how hearing the story helped them to keep their sense of humor, change, and gain something better themselves. Two decades after the story was created, it was published as a book, and to my amazement and almost everyone else's, within two years of publication, more than three million people had read it. Many have reported that what they discovered in the story has saved their careers, businesses, health and marriages. It has spread around the world in many foreign languages. It's appeal seems universal. Critics on the other hand think the story is too cheesy and do not understand how so many people could find it so valuable. They say it is so simple a child could understand it and it insults their intelligence, as it is just obvious common sense. They get nothing out of the story. Some even fear it suggests all change is good and that people should mindlessly conform to unnecessary changes imposed by others, although that is not in the story. It seems to me that both fans and critics are "right" in their own way. It is not what is in the story of "Who Moved My Cheese?" but how you interpret it and apply it to your own situation that gives it value. The challenge however is to remember to use what you discover in the story. So I thought it was great when I learned that the new entertaining piece of software has animated characters from the book prompting and reminding us to use what we find most valuable in the story to change and win and enjoy it. Some people who have seen the "Change Survival Kit" say that it is "better than cheddar!" Let's hope the way you interpret the story of "Who Moves My Cheese?" and act on it, will help you find and enjoy the "New Cheese" you deserve.
Target readers:
This is a book for essentially any adult person, but we most highly recommend it to business and government leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, MBAs and new graduates.
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Spencer Johnson, M.D. is an internationally bestselling author whose books have helped millions of people discover simple truths they can use to enjoy healthier lives with more success and less stress. He is the Originator and co-Author of The One Minute Manager™, the #1 New York Times bestseller written with legendary management consultant Kenneth Blanchard, Ph.D., which has become the most popular management method in the world. Dr. Johnson has written many other bestsellers, including five books in the One Minute® series. Yes or No, the popular ValueTales™ children's books, and the perennial gift favorite The Precious Present. His education includes a B.A. in psychology from the University of Southern California, an M.D. degree from the Royal College of Surgeons, and medical clerkships at Harvard Medical School and The Mayo Clinic. Dr. Johnson's books have been featured often in the media, by, among others. Time magazine, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNN, Larry King Live, the Associated Press, and United Press International. More than eleven million copies of Spencer Johnson's books are in print, in twenty-six languages.
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From Library Journal
This is a brief tale of two mice and two humans who live in a maze and one day are faced with change: someone moves their cheese. Reactions vary from quick adjustment to waiting for the situation to change by itself to suit their needs. This story is about adjusting attitudes toward change in life, especially at work. Change occurs whether a person is ready or not, but the author affirms that it can be positive. His principles are to anticipate change, let go of the old, and do what you would do if you were not afraid. Listeners are still left with questions about making his or her own specific personal changes.
(MSL quote)
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A Gathering
Chicago
One sunny Sunday in Chicago, several former classmates, who were good friends in school, gathered for lunch, having attended their high school reunion the night before. They wanted to hear more about what was happening in each other's lives. After a good deal of kidding, and a good meal, they settled into an interesting conversation.
Angela, who had been one of the most popular people in the class, said, "Life sure turned out differently than I thought it would when we were in school. A lot has changed."
"It certainly has," Nathan echoed. They knew he had gone into his family's business, which had operated pretty much the same and had been a part of the local community for as long as they could remember. So, they were surprised when he seemed concerned. He asked, "But, have you noticed how we don't want to change when things change?"
Carlos said, "I guess we resist changing because we're afraid of change."
"Carlos, you were Captain of the football team," Jessica said. "I never thought I'd hear you say anything about being afraid!"
They all laughed as they realized that although they had gone off in different directions-from working at home to managing companies-they were experiencing similar feelings.
Everyone was trying to cope with the unexpected changes that were happening to them in recent years. And most admitted that they did not know a good way to handle them.
Then Michael said, "I used to be afraid of change. When a big change came along in our business, we didn't know what to do. So we didn't adjust and we almost lost it.
"That is," he continued, "until I heard a funny little story that changed everything."
"How so?" Nathan asked.
"Well, the story changed the way I looked at change-from losing something to gaining something-and it showed me how to do it. After that, things quickly improved-at work and in my life.
"At first I was annoyed with the obvious simplicity of the story because it sounded like something we might have been told in school.
"Then I realized I was really annoyed with myself for not seeing the obvious and doing what works when things change.
"When I realized the four characters in the story represented the various parts of myself, I decided who I wanted to act like and I changed.
"Later, I passed the story on to some people in our company and they passed it on to others, and soon our business did much better, because most of us adapted to change better. And like me, many people said it helped them in their personal lives.
"However there were a few people who said they got nothing out of it. They either knew the lessons and were already living them, or, more commonly, they thought they already knew everything and didn't want to learn. They couldn't see why so many others were benefiting from it.
"When one of our senior executives, who was having difficulty adapting, said the story was a waste of his time, other people kidded him saying they knew which character he was in the story-meaning the one who learned nothing new and did not change."
"What's the story?" Angela asked.
"It's called Who Moved My Cheese?"
The group laughed. "Ithink I like it already," Carlos said. "Would you tell us the story? Maybe we can get something from it."
"Sure," Michael replied. "I'd be happy to-it doesn't take long." And so he began:
The Story of Who Moved My Cheese?
Once, long ago in a land far away, there lived four little characters who ran through a
maze looking for cheese to nourish them and make them happy. Two were mice named "Sniff" and "Scurry" and two were littlepeople-beings who were as small as mice but who looked and acted a lot like people today. Their names were "Hem" and "Haw."
Due to their small size, it would be easy not to notice what the four of them were doing. But if you looked closely enough, you could discover the most amazing things!
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| View all 12 comments |
Randy Harris (Former Vice Chairman, Merril Lynch International) (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-17 00:00>
I'm recommending this to colleagues and friends because Spencer Johson's storytelling abilities and unique insights can be understood quickly by everyone. |
Sanxing Sun (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-17 00:00>
After you read the book, you may realize: a) we have to change, because otherwise we may not have cheese to eat tomorrow; or b) we have to change, because that is the way to have more and better cheeses tomorrow. Either way, change is our opportunity. We need to make changes when the cheese is still there and before we have to. When we make changes proactively, it is fun to do it. If we hesitate too long, we may lose many good opportunities to make the needed changes.
Of course, the book won't tell you what exactly you should do. But it will most likely make you somewhat uneasy - I think it is the biggest benefit of reading the book. When you are somewhat uneasy, when you begin to think, and when you begin to search, you will be more likely to do more of the right things, make more of the right moves, and ultimately discover more and better cheeses.
The book is an easy read. Don't say that it's a silly story, but do think what may be the right things for you to do and do take action |
Rishel (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-17 00:00>
After reading this book I must state that even though I still believe that many of the concepts outlined within the book are primarily common sense, I now can appreciate the effort in realizing that dealing with change for some individuals is a difficult task.
On page 42 it states "Haw was beginning to realize the difference between activity and productivity." I have seen this happen quite a lot in the workplace. Sometimes the energy it takes to complain and complain about dealing with a change can be better spent adapting to it rather than the outward avoidance of the change.
This book is great for an organization that is dealing with a dramatic change; however, the delivering of the information that is outlined in the book must be stratigic or else it might do more harm than good.
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Janet Minzenberger (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-17 00:00>
Spencer Johnson, M.D. received a B.A. in psychology from the University of Southern California and his M.D. degree from the Royal College of Surgeons. He participated in medical clerkships at Harvard Medical School and The Mayo Clinic. Past positions include; Medical Director of Communications for Medtronic, Research Physician at The Institute for Inter-Disciplinary Studies and Consultant to the Center for the Study of Person, and the School of Medicine at the University of California. He has authored and co-authored several best selling books including The One Minute Manager, The One Minute Sales Person, The One Minute Mother, The One Minute Father, The One Minute Teacher, One Minute for Yourself, The Precious Present, Yes or No, and ValueTales which is a series of children's books. Many of these books have been featured in the media and are available worldwide in twenty-six languages. Dr. Johnson is respected both nationally and internationally as an individual who is skilled at taking complex issues and finding simple solutions that work for many. He seems to have done just that with Who Moved My Cheese? : An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life.
The book begins with an introduction by Kenneth Blanchard, Ph.D., co-author of The One Minute Manager. Dr. Blanchard describes the essence of the story as it relates to the concept of change. He explains that the story is about a maze, cheese and four characters who are looking for the cheese. The maze represents the environment where an individual searches for what is important. Cheese represents that which is important. It can be a job, security, wealth, a relationship, etc. Blanchard implies that the book was written to provide a glimpse of the four ways in which each of us may deal with change, decide from reading the book how we would like to deal with change and take the steps necessary to allow us to better face change in the future.
Just prior to the introduction is a page that introduces the main characters of the book, Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw. Sniff and Scurry are mice and Hem and Haw are little people. These characters are meant to be depictions of the simple and complex parts of ourselves.
The book is written in three parts. The first part is a gathering of school friends attending a class reunion. They are catching up with one another and the topic of change comes up. One of them begins to tell the story of the maze and the cheese. The second part of the book is the story itself. This is the heart of the book and contains depictions of human behavior when faced with change. The third part of the book involves the school friends discussing the story. The book concludes with a discussion of the beneficial impact the story has had on one of the individual's business organizations.
I believe that Spencer Johnson achieved his desired outcome. The book provides a simple illustration of common themes for dealing with change. An individual should be able to easily see themselves in any of the characters and identify a desired behavior for dealing with change.
The book can be easily read in one hour or less. The style is easy to follow, using a storytelling approach as in a parable rather than an academic work. This would not be a good reference source as it does not contain an index, glossary or bibliography, although I believe the author's logic is sound. This is the second time I have read this book, and I have found it to be just as relevant the second time around as it was the first. The book has value for everyone, not only the business community, organizations, groups, and leaders. It is a book that can be shared with family and friends. |
View all 12 comments |
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