Verified Document

How The Characters In The Book Johnson's Essay

¶ … Moved My Cheese? The characters in Spencer Johnson's Who Moved My Cheese? illustrate the importance of being open and willing to change. The two mice represent the most intelligent approach to external changes in the environment. Instead of bemoaning the loss of the old, the mice (Sniff and Scurry) embrace the new because they are not afraid that the source of their happiness will ever run out. They have faith that even when it appears that supplies of the metaphorical cheese are running out, eventually some other source will arrive. Their experience is a source of inspiration for Haw, who tries his best to encourage his friend Hem to step outside the comfort zone. Hem and Haw are the two most commonly encountered characters in any agency. Although some exceptional individuals will be more like Sniff and Scurry, the vast majority of people do not deal with change as easily as the mice in Johnson's story. Most people fall either into the Hem category of resisting change, or into the Haw category of embracing change slowly and with some initial trepidation. Ultimately, Haw learns so much from his experience that he channels his fear into creative energy. Creativity and renewed energy can be viewed as the goals of learning from change.

In my employment history, I have encountered many people like both Hem and...

Most of my own reactions to change or challenging situations are like Haw's, because at first I panic a little but eventually I learn how to cope and adapt to new circumstances. However, I understand what Hem is going through, because he wants so badly to cling to the past. He is recalling all the good times, when the cheese was flowing freely and he did not have to work very hard to get it. Now that he has to actually move and work, seeking new cheese, he has fallen into a depression. He has too much pride to admit that he cannot do the same thing he used to do in order to get cheese from Station C.
Haw finally figures out that exploring the maze more, and making do with the new circumstances, are the ways to succeed. Whereas Haw is accepting of the crisis, Hem is not. It is clear that Haw is going to be a more successful employee, and possibly has clear leadership potential. For example, Haw takes it upon himself to write slogans on the wall so that people like Haw can have some guidance in finding the new sources of cheese. This reveals Hem's leadership potential, and his ability to be compassionate and reach out to his colleagues.

I have known people like Haw, and I believe that I most embody his qualities. Rarely have I fallen pray to the rigidity that characterizes Haw's reaction to the sudden lack of cheese. Haw's slogan, "If you do not change, you can become extinct," has become my new motto.

Sniff and Scurry always seem to be…

Sources used in this document:
References

Johnson, S. (2002). Who Moved My Cheese? New York: Putnam.

McNamara, C. (n.d.). Organizational change and development. Retrieved online: http://managementhelp.org/organizationalchange/index.htm
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Lyndon Johnson
Words: 4132 Length: 14 Document Type: Term Paper

Dallek used traditional methods of research and structure making his book a true "history" from a collegiate-academic point-of-view. But this does not invalidate Caro's work. The problem, then, in looking at both of these books to be authorities is to figure out if it really matters if Caro's lack of credentials and traditional (meaning library) method of information gathering actually denote a lesser effect on the overall impact of

Popular Business Books the Seven
Words: 4206 Length: 13 Document Type: Term Paper

Who Moved My Cheese - Spencer Johnson This particular book is designed as an analogy within a maze, and looks at how various issues such as stubbornness, over-analyzing, and fear can over-complicate many things that are generally and usually very simple. This over-complication can make anything, even life itself, extremely unbearable. The book is basically designed as a way to help all of the readers to get the most that they

Book of Acts of the
Words: 2171 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

This could prove a difficult task filling in the blanks existing in what he had acquired by then There are instances of inconsistency between Paul's journeys regarding his visits in Jerusalem (as recorded in Galatians 1,2) and those recounted by Luke, which point to Luke's inability to comprehend the perfect sequence of events and their importance accurately. However, the most important thing to note is that the latter chapters of

Angelou's Book "I Know Why the Caged
Words: 2217 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

Angelou's book "I Know why the Caged Bird Sings' was written, according to its author, to serve as a certain purpose and this purpose can be glimpsed in its language. As the poet and critic Opla Moore (1999) remarked, the Caged Bird was intended to demonstrate, at a time, when these issues were just beginning to come into that open and when Blacks were still struggling for recognition, that rape

Kennedy True Compass Book Review
Words: 1416 Length: 3 Document Type: Book Report

Another related type of argument is to assert how he became interested in the various facets of politics that he made an impact on. For example, as a result of a plane crash and convalescing, he writes, "I realized that access to health care was a moral issue" (Kennedy 225). In other words, the way that he develops his political interest is determined by his personal experience. His view

Rise of the Novel: Studies in Defoe,
Words: 1585 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

Rise of the Novel: Studies in Defoe, Richardson, and Fielding," written by Ian Watt. THE RISE OF THE NOVEL The novel is in nothing so characteristic of our culture as in the way that it reflects this characteristic orientation of modern thought" (Watt 22). This is how Watt defines the novel that he discusses and picks apart in his book. Watt wrote this book in 1957, after studying the 18th century

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now