Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life

However, the ideas presented in the book overlook several important points: Not all change is necessarily good. Some of the ideas presented in the post-story discussion seem to advocate change just for the sake of change. This is clearly not a good idea. Change must be carefully considered before it can be carried out successfully.

Further, the book never addresses the issue of why change occurs, or how people affected by change sometimes need to critically evaluate the changes that are occurring around them. Leaders CAN make the wrong decisions, and sometimes only vigilance by "everyday" workers can prevent increased costs to the organization by stopping ill-considered change before it occurs.

Finally, some of the ideas in the book can--and undoubtedly will--be used by managers to remove the guilt associated with their role in organizational upheaval: "Gee, Employee X didn't learn to roll with punches....I think I'll let him go, but give him this book so eventually he'll realize that I did this for his own good." How ridiculous! Unfortunately, I'd bet that more than a few organizational leaders actually do think this way.

In short, the author has put forth yet another document in the vast genre of self-help literature that provides all-too-easy answers to life's complex situations. Save your money and think for yourself.


Better left unread   January 16, 2000
 62 out of 77 found this review helpful

I wish my manager had saved his money and simply passed around one of the many inane heart warming "true stories" that get passed around the internet. This book is pop-psychology for the CEO-set. Inane and ultimately confusing, the book's ultimate "theme" doesn't hold up to even minute philosophical scrutiny. Once considered, its theme actually becomes ominous, and if I worked anywhere else I would be concerned for my job and would probably take it as a sign to look for better chesese. This book is insulting to the thoughtful person and to anyone who just so happens to have a strong belief system and doesn't need some M.D.-millionaire to tell us how to deal with our lives, let alone our managers.


This "book" made my flesh crawl, in a BAD way.   June 11, 2000
 58 out of 76 found this review helpful

This is quite possible the WORST book I have ever read. Was forced to endure this "book" as part of a leadership academy and can not even begin to express my revulsion at this text; I would rather recommend that one read Gilgamesh and gain more insight into being a good and happy person. Or even James Kelman's How Late It Was rather than this clap-trap.

Let me summerize the book for you: Four characters, two mice and two people. Mice are called Sniff and Scratch, the people Hemm and Haw. (You see where this parable is going.) Mice know to move on and accept change, especially when they want that which makes them happy. People don't.

Ultimately this book ignores much Eastern philosophical tradition, insomuch as it emphasizes "place" rather than "journey" in attainment of happiness, as though "getting there" is the point at all.

Need help accepting change and locating happiness? Go buy some flowers or plant a tree. The time and money will be better spent than reading this tycoon-making bit of happy-feely nonsense!


I'll tell you who moved your cheese...   July 9, 2005
 56 out of 67 found this review helpful

Who moved your cheese? I'll tell you who moved your cheese! Your company's accountants moved your cheese. And they ain't gonna move it back, no matter what you do.

Apart from the infantile, patronising tone that the author adopts, he does something insidious. He makes it seem like it's YOUR FAULT that you've been downsized, demoted, or unsuccessful. In this day and age, that's simply a lie.

This book is more than dumb. It's dangerously dumb.




Tool of the Man   May 1, 2000
 53 out of 63 found this review helpful

I was asked by my boss to read this book. As a critical reader, I think the following questions need to be asked: 1.Who put those poor miniature people and mice dressed in tiny jogging suits in the maze? 2.If there's plenty of food for the finding, why are the tiny creatures forced to scurry around on an empty stomach? 3.Does my boss really think I'll appreciate trying to relate to what are essentially highly evolved lab rats compelled into some sick game of hide-and-seek-for-the-source-of-all-that-is-good, forced to endure periods of security and intense stress for no apparent reason?

I know stress and change are natural parts of life, but this book is insulting. A book clearly designed for the little people who have to deal with the aftermath of major desicions, and not the people who make those desicions. If you are asked to read this book by one of your higher ups, tell them you don't care about some goofy tale that will help you be happy about the opprotunity to learn a new variation of the goosestep. Just ask for your new job title or for the details about the re-org or if your company just got acquired...reading this book was the worst way I could spend 20 minutes of my time.