This is my book summary of who moved my cheese by spencer. It is a management book, and many a manager has told this story to his team to inspire them, but its just as valuable for you as an individual. An animated book summary of who moved my cheese by dr spencer johnson. May 27, 2004 business fiction is a big part of the bookselling marketplace, and squirrel inc is only the latest example. Through a simple story, spencer johnson illustrates how people react to change, and how we can manage change more constructively and effectively. The cheese is a metaphor for what we want to have in life a job, power status, relationships. Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life whether it is a good job, a loving relationship, money or a possession, health or spiritual peace of mind. Who moved my cheese as a discussion paper about the book. Because the cheese was so important to them, the two little people spent too much time deciding what to do. It took me about 30 minutes to read it the other day, and thats only because the core story is padded out with a metadiscussion about the topic in the form of. Cheese is a metaphor for what you desire and have dream of it. Get a copy of the book or our who moved my cheese summary bundle, or visit. The text describes change in ones work and life, and four typical reactions to those changes by two mice and two little people during their hunt for cheese.
The main characters of this non fiction, business story are scurry, hem. One member of the group nearly lost his business due to the inability to respond to unanticipated change but he heard a funny story that changed his attitude that story was who moved my cheese the characters. And two are littlepeople beings the size of mice who look and act a lot like people. Dr spencer johnson tells us a story about 4 characters who live in a. Who moved my cheese, a bestseller by spencer johnson published in 1998, is a parable about the inevitability of change, the ways in which we typically deal. Who moved my cheese is a story about the simplicities and complications of life. One of those present contends that change no longer bothers him after having heard a funny little story called who moved my cheese. Who moved my cheese by spencer johnson is a parable about a place that changed, and how its inhabitants reacted. In both the professional and private sphere, its important to be able to adapt, welcome new things, make mistakes, and learn from them. The story tells the reader a very important message, explaining how change is an essential ingredient for success.
Many years ago, when i was struggling with a difficult change in my life, i created the story of who moved my cheese. It is the amusing and enlightening story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy. Of course, cheese is not just cheese is this story. The second section is the story of who moved my cheese. In his new business fable, i moved your cheese, professor deepak malhotra challenges the idea that change is simply something we must anticipate, tolerate, and accept. Who moved my cheese the inspiring story about change and cheese february 27, 2018 change is a constant feature in our lives. Reflection on who moved my cheese essay example graduateway.
While sniff and scurry have long anticipated and prepared for the cheese to disappear eventually, hem and haw are at a loss for what to do after having arranged their lives around the cheese. Five change management lessons and one unanswered question published on march 12, 2015 march 12, 2015 63 likes 6 comments report this post. May 16, 2017 this is a short and easy to read story, that can be easily shared with others. Inspired from a book with the same title written by dr spencer johnson. Some people have said they hated it and it was useless. Who moved my cheese and the four forces organizational. In this artful way, spencer johnson introduces the reader to his fable on how to cope positively with change. The book stresses upon the fact that we cannot be afraid to change, simply because we cannot be successful without new ideas or new scenarios. All is going well because they have found a huge source of their favourite food, cheese. When johnson showed him an early copy of who moved my cheese. Trying to understand the phenomenon of who moved my cheese. Robert burns spencer johnson passed away a few weeks ago.
Jul 08, 2012 inspired from a book with the same title written by dr spencer johnson. Rather, in this story it stands for anything you aspire for in your life. It is an interesting and edifying story of four characters who live in a labyrinth and search for cheddar to sustain them and satisfy them. Its about 2 mice and two little people whose live in a maze. And two are littlepeoplebeings the size of mice who look and act a lot like people. Who moved my cheese a motivational story by spencer johnson. Spencer johnsons novel who moved my cheese holds a. It is a management book, and many a manager has told this story to. Who moved my cheese by doctor spencer johnson is a short fictional account of four characters and how they anticipate and respond to change in the world and what consequences are realized as a result. Who moved my cheese and the four forces this article is for managers who want a better grasp of personality styles and how to quickly read and understand them in themselves and others. Today is the 20th anniversary of who moved my cheese.
It will cost you 20 bucks and take you about an hour to read who moved my cheese. Everyday hem, haw, sniff, and scurry went about their business collecting and eating cheese. Employees learn what to do when their cheese gets moved. Who moved my cheese a motivational story by spencer. Who moved my cheese by spencer johnson book summary. They test each pathway until they find one with cheese. From the setting of revealed information, the author shares with the reader the story of who moved my cheese. It is an amusing and enlightening story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy. They live in a maze and have to constantly find cheese to survive. Through the characters triumphs and travails, the story offers lessons and tips for coping successfully with change in our lives by changing our attitudes and behavior. How not to lose hope when change doesnt seem good enough for you. Coauthor of the one minute manager, dr spencer johnson tells us a story about 4 characters who live in a maze and learn to deal with unexpected change. On the other hand hem and hall feel betrayed and complain. My cheese got moved about three years ago when my husband of twentyfour years told me that he wanted a divorce.
One character had found the story of who moved my cheese and credited that story as a rich source of help and guidance in navigating the changes of life. Aug 10, 2012 cheese is a metaphor for what you desire and have dream of it. Who moved my cheese is an easy and complex story involving four imaginary friend, the mice who are sniff and scurry and the little people are hem and haw. The little people represent the hard and accessible parts of our lives regardless of race, gender or age. The story is about four characters, two mice, and two little people. The story provides an analogy to change in our work and personal lives.
The inspiring story about change and cheese pokeshot gmbh. Hem and haw have even moved their houses to be near it and it has becomes the center of their lives. Who moved my cheese an amazing way to deal with change. This is a book summary of who moved my cheese by spencer johnson.
Who moved my cheese is a short story written by dr. I just read a short only 94 pages, yet powerful little book full of leadership lessons. Who moved my cheese tells a parable, which you can directly apply to your own life, in order to stop fearing what lies ahead and instead thrive in an environment of change and uncertainty. This includes your career, success, money, love, etc. An amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life, published on september 8, 1998, is a motivational business fable. A problem occurs where the characters cheese is portable and does not stay in one place, and they have to travel in a desperate attempt for satisfaction. As is clear from this summary essay on who moved my cheese, spencer wrote the story to illustrate the effects of denying change or accepting it. Who moved my cheese is an artistic fable created by author spencer johnson to illustrate the fact that change is not always a bad thing. The four characters are sniff, scurry, hem and haw who reveal the. Most of us reading the story will see the cheese as something related to our. 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.
Letting go of what we know is hard, but essential for growth and improvement. Pdf summary strictly speaking, who moved my cheese. I make fun of it because it embarrasses me to admit i was part of the selfhelp craze of the me decade tm, too, but i actually learned a lot. Who moved my cheese by dr spencer johnson animated book. Who moved my cheese summary june 21, 2016 february 23, 2019 niklas goeke entrepreneurship, self improvement 1sentencesummary.
The text describes change in ones work and life, and four typical reactions to those changes by two mice and two littlepeople, during their hunt for cheese. When my friends noticed how much better life had become for me and asked why, i told them about the cheese story. I first encountered this phrase in the late 70s in est thats right. A story about how to accept change in your life, either professional or personal, how to use that change in your favour. Who moved my cheese an amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life is a book about moving with change, written in the style of a business fable. Four characters sniff,scurry,hem and haw live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy. Review who moved my cheese leverages a fictitious story to share deeper truths of life. Two were mice named sniff and scurry and two were littlepeoplebeings who were as small as mice but who looked and acted a lot like people today. The book is about two mice and two little people beings that were as small as mice but looked like people who are looking for cheese. My life is a big maze, which causes me to move my cheese a lot. Acknowledging, strategizing for, acting on, and enjoying.
In this summary of who moved my cheese, well give a brief synopsis of the fable and key ideas. For a story about two mice and two little people trapped in a maze looking for cheese, the story in dr. Who moved my cheese is a fable about four characters who live in a maze and they all love cheese. Who moved my cheese an amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life spencer johnson on. Who moved my cheese an amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life.
When you change what you believe, you can change what you do. Who moved my cheese by dr spencer johnsonthe insider tales. It is an amusing and enlightening story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make. Two are humans who are the size of mice named hem and haw. The book is about two mice and two little people beings that were as small as mice but. Written by spencer johnson, coauthor of the one minute manager, this enlightening and amusing story illustrates the vital importance of being able to deal with unexpected change. In his new business fable, i moved your cheese, professor deepak malhotra. Hem and haw arrived later, and having taken their cheese for granted, they were surprised to find there was no more cheese. Who moved my cheese an amazing way to deal with change in. The story involves four characters who live in a maze. In that, its similar to the greatest salesman in the world for sales books and the richest man in babylon for personal finance books. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Dec 27, 2019 the adage asserts that change is the only constant thing.
Sep 06, 2018 johnson is no adams, but a lot more people are reading who moved my cheese. An animated book summary of who moved my cheese by dr spencer. The first edition of the novel was published in september 8th 1998, and was written by spencer johnson. Every morning, the mice and little men put on their jogging suits and running shoes, left their homes, and raced around the maze looking for their favorite cheese. Who moved my cheese the story once, long ago in a land far away, there lived four little characters who ran through a maze looking for cheese to. I read who moved my cheese for kids to my 9yearold son recently. A new york times business bestseller upon release, who moved my cheese. Ill be on a panel on june 5, 2004, at the book expo of america in chicago, discussing the emergence of business fiction. Once, long ago in a land far away, there lived four little characters who ran through a. And the problem is that no source of cheese lasts forever. What we really need to let go of is the behavior that is the cause of our bad relationship. The differences between the four characters depict each of our emotional states and how we react to change in our lives. Jul 23, 2018 who moved my cheese does a great job in outlining many of the typical human pitfalls. Youre supposed to draw your own lessons from what the story implies.
Aug, 2014 who moved my cheese an amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life is a book about moving with change, written in the style of a business fable. Reflection on who moved my cheese 1731 words bartleby. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 96 pages and is available in hardcover format. Who moved my cheese it is a good parable using two mice and two men who are in a maze and struggling to find enough cheese to survive. The quicker you let go of old things, the sooner you can learn new skills and create a better future. The point of the story is that we have to be alert to changes in the cheese, and be prepared to go running off in search of new sources of cheese when the cheese.
What we let this change do to us how one responds to this change will either get us cheese or not. They waste their time and energy hoping the old cheese will return. Jul 26, 2017 the best laid schemes omice and men often go astray. Like angela said in in the book before the story, or, perhaps the old cheese is just old behavior. Pdf by spencer johnson, published on 8 september 1998. He trained as a physician, but he will be forever best known as the author of who moved my cheese. When the cheese disappears, scurry and sniff enthusiastically head out into the maze to find new cheese. Apr 23, 2012 cheese station n is the largest pile of cheese the characters have seen in their life and hem is still holding on to his cheeseless situation. It s probably worth the investment, because there is a chance that during that time you will think about your own relationship to change and that might change you.