Average Rating: 
Rating: - The Wonderful World of Cheese
I found this latest offering from Spencer Johnson quite interesting. Written in a child-like prose, the book gives the sense of one's favorite nursery rhyme, well instilling the valued quality of dealing with change.Sciff and Scurry wasted no time in adjusting to change--quite unlike most of us today. Hem and Haw more aptly fit the description of the average American worker--unable to see change coming, and unwilling to adjust when it does hit us head on. Fortunately for Haw, he eventually came to the realization of his need to "move with the cheese." But not before living on the edge of starvation. Hem never comes to the realization in the book, but one can only wish that the final footsteps heard were his--finally breaking free from the past. I would recommend this book to anyone--young, old, working, non-working. We all deal with change in both our professional and personal lifes and I haven't read anything that deals with it on such a basic level as this work from Spencer Johnson.
Rating: - A New Look at Career Change
The little book is easily read in less than an hour, and I recommend it for people undergoing career change, particularly one not of their own choice. What can you learn from a fable? In this story, two mice willingly enter the maze in pursuit of new cheese locations because that's the way to find the new cheese. They expect the cheese to move, and they keep their running shoes handy. Two people, on the other hand, waste time by bemoaning the loss of the cheese and declaring it all really unfair. The journey toward new cheese is painful and slower than it needs to be, as change needs to be embraced, not resisted.For those in career transition, there is a deadly tendency to waste valuable time in analyzing the past - what happened? Why did it happen? Could it have been prevented? And meanwhile, those scurrying little mice are on their way, grabbing the best opportunities. There is wisdom here for you! You can learn to get going, keep pursuing leads, make mistakes, bump up against obstacles, and still arrive at a fulfilling destination. You will also recognize lost opportunities and wasted hours of complaining. As a career counselor, I personally wish I had read this book twenty years ago - it would have told me to get up, get going, and explore new corridors in the maze of life.
Rating: - Nice parable, but I've heard this advice a hundred times
A bunch of classmates gather 'round to tell stories of how their lives and business ventures turned out years after graduation. What ensues is an entertaining story (I'll admit it) about mice and "littlepeople" with a moral that can be summed up very easily: 1) once you attain a certain plateau in life, you'll probably get lazy; 2) human nature is to strive for a comfort zone, and thus, resist change; 3) nothing in life is static, so pay attention to new trends; and 4) don't be afraid to seek a new and better situation with every opportunity.Yes, I'm one of those who was handed "Who Moved My Cheese?" at a recent staff meeting, and I couldn't help but think that the authors' sole objective was to market a book that would be bought in large quantities by every Human Resources department in the world. Turn to the back, and you'll find a form for ordering more copies. Borrow one; it's overpriced. If you're involved in a relationship (work-related or otherwise) and are unaware of feeling complacent or stifled, this book may very well be a revelation, and compel you to rave to all your friends. If you're a good critical thinker with any common sense at all, you'll finish, and say "okay, so then what?"
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