Change is inevitable. Sometimes, we expect it – learning, growing, shifting tastes, new directions; we’re capable, adaptive creatures, at best. Most often, however, it’s the big changes that truly test our strength and determine our success. Whether in business or in my personal life, I’ve come to understand that change is something that can’t always be controlled. The most important thing I’ve learned is how to adapt and manage the change within myself – or as author Spencer Johnson puts it, how to “move with the cheese.”
Johnson’s business-minded fable, “Who Moved My Cheese?” has been an increasingly relevant resource for businesses since its 1998 release. Its message is clear – in our ever-changing, and often volatile business climate, we must be constantly adapting, and prepared for anything.
The book’s format is deceptively simple – In this fable, the idea of change is examined through the eyes of four creatures (2 mice, 2 humans), as they struggle to deal with the sudden absence of “the cheese” (a stand-in for both monetary success and happiness). Each creature’s response represents a common reaction to the idea of significant “change”, and the results of these reactions are tested as the creatures navigate the maze in their search for new “cheese.” The story follows the process of evolution that occurs from the moment that change is introduced, to the point it’s accepted, and eventually to the moment it’s managed.
Some people ignore change and prefer to “stick their head in the sand,” so to speak. Others embrace it and learn to adapt. Some are even able to “see the writing on the wall” (which happens quite often in the story) and anticipate change, but waiver in their thoughts on how to react. I think we all take on different roles depending on the kinds of change introduced. After all, change often has the effect of an unwelcome interruption to our densely scheduled business and personal life. I’m sure we have all – by turns – been the one to actively push it, embrace it, or even ignore it, depending on the kind of impact it might have had on each of our lives.
In business, corporate leaders need to understand that those they lead manage and adapt to change in different and often deeply personal ways. Some are invigorated by the challenge, while others may feel change will only make matters worse. It’s paramount for company leaders to appropriately motivate and encourage their employees to adapt and move with the evolution, in an effort to “get to The Cheese,” rather than ignoring it and burying their heads in the sand. Everyone deals with change or transition in different ways, and different feelings about any large shift are inevitable. Leadership must deal with the fact people process and respond to change differently, and must use their direction and resources to assist and guide them in embracing and adapting to change.
