Who Moved My Cheese?
Who
Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your
Life, published on September 8, 1998, is
a motivational
business fable.
The text describes change in one's work and life, and four typical reactions to
those changes by two mice
and two "Littlepeople", during their hunt for cheese. A New York Times business
bestseller upon release, Who Moved My Cheese? remained on the
list for almost five years and spent over 200 weeks on Publishers
Weekly's hardcover nonfiction list.[1] It has sold more than 26 million copies worldwide in 37
languages and remains one of the best-selling business books.[2][3]
Story
Allegorically, Who Moved My Cheese? features four characters: two
mice, "Sniff" and "Scurry," and two Littlepeople, human metaphor, "Hem" and "Haw." (The names
of the Littlepeople are taken from the phrase "hem and haw," a term
for indecisiveness.) They live in a maze, a representation of one's
environment, and look for cheese, representative of happiness and success.
Initially without cheese, each group, the mice and humans, paired off and
traveled the lengthy corridors searching for cheese. One day both groups happen
upon a cheese-filled corridor at "Cheese Station C." Content with
their find, the humans establish routines around their daily intake of cheese,
slowly becoming arrogant in the process.
One
day Sniff and Scurry arrive at "Cheese Station C" to find no cheese
left, but they are not surprised. Noticing the cheese supply dwindling, they
have mentally prepared beforehand for the arduous but inevitable task of
finding more cheese. Leaving "Cheese Station C" behind, they begin
their hunt for new cheese together. Later that day, Hem and Haw arrive at
Cheese Station C only to find the same thing, no cheese. Angered and annoyed,
Hem demands, "Who moved my cheese?" The humans have counted on the
cheese supply to be constant, and so are unprepared for this eventuality. After
deciding that the cheese is indeed gone they get angry at the unfairness of the
situation. Haw suggests a search for new cheese, but Hem is dead-set in his
disappointment and dismisses the proposal.
Meanwhile,
Sniff and Scurry have found "Cheese Station N," and new cheese. But
back at Cheese Station C, Hem and Haw are affected by their lack of cheese and
blame each other for their problem. Hoping to change, Haw again proposes a
search for new cheese. However, Hem is comforted by his old routine and is
frightened about the unknown. He knocks the idea again. After a while of being
in denial, the humans remain without cheese. One day, having discovered his
debilitating fears, Haw begins to chuckle at the situation and stops taking
himself so seriously. Realizing he should simply move on, Haw enters the maze,
but not before chiseling "If You Do Not Change, You Can Become
Extinct" on the wall of Cheese Station C for his friend to ponder.
Still
fearful of his trek, Haw jots "What Would You Do If You Weren't
afraid?" on the wall and, after thinking about that, he begins his
venture. Still plagued with worry (perhaps he has waited too long to begin his
search...), Haw finds some bits of cheese that nourish him and he is able to
continue his search. Haw realizes that the cheese has not suddenly vanished,
but has dwindled from continual eating. After a stop at an empty cheese
station, Haw begins worrying about the unknown again. Brushing aside his fears,
Haw's new mindset allows him to again enjoy life. He has even begun to smile
again! He is realizing that "When you move beyond your fear, you feel
free." After another empty cheese station, Haw decides to go back for Hem
with the few bits of new cheese he has managed to find.
Uncompromising,
Hem refuses the new cheese, to his friend's disappointment. With knowledge
learned along the way, Haw heads back into the maze. Getting deeper into the
maze, inspired by bits of new cheese here and there, Haw leaves a trail of
writings on the wall ("The Handwriting On the Wall"). These clarify his own thinking and give him hope that his
friend will find aid in them during his search for new cheese. Still traveling,
Haw one day comes across Cheese Station N, abundant with cheese, including some
varieties that are strange to him, and he realizes he has found what he was
looking for. After eating, Haw reflects on his experience. He ponders a return
to see his old friend. But Haw decides to let Hem find his own way. Finding the
largest wall in Cheese Station N, he writes:
Change Happens
They Keep Moving The Cheese
Anticipate Change
Get Ready For The Cheese To Move
Monitor Change
Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old
Adapt To Change Quickly
The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner You Can
Enjoy New Cheese
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
They Keep Moving The Cheese.
Cautious
from past experience, Haw now inspects Cheese Station N daily and explores
different parts of the maze regularly to prevent any complacency from setting
in. After hearing movement in the maze one day, Haw realizes someone is
approaching the station. Unsure, Haw hopes that it is his friend Hem who has
found the way.[4]
Who Moved My Cheese Inc.
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In
1999, Who Moved My Cheese Inc was founded to handle the Who Moved My Cheese?
book order demands from businesses. In 2005, the company was reorganized as
Spencer Johnson Partners with the idea of bringing in partners and additional
content from Dr. Spencer Johnson, the author. Spencer Johnson Partners focused
on creating additional programs and services that would continue to help
clients navigate change, including Gaining Change Skills. Then, in 2009, the
company was purchased and renamed Red Tree Leadership.
Criticism
In
the corporate environment, management has been known to distribute this book to
employees during times of "structural reorganization", or during cost-cutting measures, in an attempt to portray unfavorable or unfair
changes in an optimistic or opportunistic way. This has been characterized by Barbara Ehrenreich
in her book Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking
Has Undermined America as an attempt by organizational management to make
employees quickly and unconditionally assimilate management ideals, even if
they may prove detrimental to them professionally. Ehrenreich summarizes its
message as "the dangerous human tendencies to 'overanalyze' and complain
must be overcome for a more rodentlike approach to life. When you lose a job,
just shut up and scamper along to the next one."[5]
Dilbert cartoonist Scott
Adams said that patronizing parables are
one of the top 10 complaints he receives in his emails.[6] Scott Adams' retort to the message in the parable is that
it is a "patronizing message for the proletariat to acquiesce".[7]
Parodies
There
are multiple parody works called Who Cut the Cheese?.[8]
Andy
Borowitz published a parody, Who Moved
My Soap?: The CEO’s Guide to Surviving Prison, Simon & Schuster,
c2003.[9]
Darrel
Bristow-Bovey published a parody, I Moved Your Cheese, Penguin
Random House South Africa, Apr 13, 2012.[10]
References
· Maryles, Daisy and Dick Donahue. "Behind
the Bestsellers", Publishers
Weekly 10 December 2001: 18.
· · Guodong, Du. "Moving
his cheese up peaks and down valleys"
(23 November 2009). The Global Times. Archived 2012-06-30 at Archive.today: "Who Moved My Cheese has sold over 26 million copies,
staying on the New York Times bestseller list since its release in
1998."
· · Johnson, Spencer
(1988). Who Moved My Cheese?. G.P. Putnam's Sons.
·
Barbara Ehrenreich, Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of
Positive Thinking Has Undermined America. Metropolitan, 2009. Ehrenreich
called the book "the classic of downsizing propaganda".
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