Who Moved My Cheese?: A Surprisingly Good Read About How Managing Change Can Reveal Our Perspectives and Shape Behavior

In December 2019 I began my journey and started the Doctorate (DBA) program at William Howard Taft University. Fast forward to December 2022, I'm in the last class, MGT603 Leadership Solutions for Innovation, Change, and Decision-Making which will mark the end of a fast-track (but not easy) academic journey. I've spent the last two years in my workroom (the home office) doing homework in the evenings and Sunday is my official turn-in my assignment day. I'm happy it's almost coming to an end, however, I must not get too excited. I'll be spending the next year preparing, and completing my dissertation before the next happy holiday, hopefully in November 2023.

I'm not here to toot my horn about that, instead, I'm eager to share some thoughts about the book, Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change In Your Work and In Your Life by Dr. Spencer Johnson whose book title is intriguing and unique. Anytime the author of a course textbook mentions a good read, I turn around and consider adding it to my collection. To add, the course textbook I'm referring to is Organization Development by Donald L. Anderson which covers the process of leading organizational change.  

The book introduces us to four mice characters, Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw who wake up every morning in search of the reward, their cheese, a metaphor for what you want to have in life.

In one maze, Sniff and Scurry are the happy go-getters, they are constantly scanning their environment, they are proactive, and welcome change because they realize that at any point in time, internal or external forces (lab experiment proctor) can change the network of passages that lead them to the cheese. When they get to the end of the maze and the cheese is not there, they turn back around and see if there are other opportunities they can explore to find the new location of the cheese. They are known for taking a trial-and-error approach.

In the other maze, Hem and Haw pursue the cheese but they have a different approach to getting it. Hem and Haw feel entitled, and comfortable, and whenever the cheese is moved, they complain about it. Their comfort has left them dressing a little slower at the beginning of the day. When they find the cheese, they have a sense of arrogance about their success and say "We deserve this cheese." They assume that their cheese will be there every day. Hem once said, "There's enough cheese to last us forever." Haw even moved his home to be closer to the labyrinth and built a social life around it. 

We can all agree that having "cheese" makes us happy. Cheese is rewarding. Whether it's a good job, a loving relationship, money or possession, health, or spiritual peace of mind, the maze can help you get to the cheese. Dr. Johnson believes "...the maze is where you look for what you want - the organization you work in, or the family or community you live in." When we start a journey to get the cheese, what's your approach? Do you anticipate change? Adapt to change quickly? Do you enjoy change like Sniff and Scurry? Or are you like Hem and Haw and...well let's not go there. 

For some of us, work is the biggest maze because motivated or not, it provides the cheese. Up to page thirty-three, Dr. Johnson has been brilliant at adding thoughtful perspectives on how to deal with change in his book. I must admit, I haven't read the second half of the book. So far, I've gathered that the application of change can apply to many areas of our lives, and how we manage change regardless of how we obtain the cheese, can impact our well-being - good or bad.

If you are curious to know more about the book Who Moved My Cheese? let me know in the comments. Or, heck it's available online. Heads up, when it was delivered, I was surprised to learn it was a short ninety-four-page book, a fast read.

Please share your thoughts or if you buy and read the book, submit a response and tell us what you've learned about how you deal when someone moves your cheese!

- Sandra Charles-Garza, College Relations Director, SHRM RGV 390

Sandra Charles-Garza is an Instructor and Program Chair at South Texas College for the Human Resources Program.