The mouse strategy for managers

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The mouse strategy for managers - successfully encountering change (original title Who Moved My Cheese? ) Is a motivational story in fabulous form by the American management consultant Spencer Johnson , which was published in 1998. The story is about different ways of coping with problems , told from the perspective of two mice and two dwarfs. The parable shows readers how to deal with changes in life and work. The book has been a New York Times Business bestseller since it was published .

action

The book tells a simple story of four characters, the mice Sniff (Ger. Sniff) and Scurry (Ger. Wusel) and the dwarf people Hem (Ger. Grübel) and Haw (Ger. Knobel), who go in search of Put cheese in a maze. The mice follow their instincts in their search, while the dwarfs proceed more strategically, but in retrospect follow their gut instinct. So you will find sometimes more, sometimes less cheese.

One day, all four of them come across a place with a large supply of cheese. The dwarf people are happy with what they find and are getting weary from day to day, whereas the mice are just as happy, but in the event that the cheese is missing, they remain prepared to go looking again. One day, all of a sudden, the cheese disappeared. The mice had noticed beforehand that the supply was getting smaller and smaller and were able to prepare for the situation. Don't hesitate and go straight to the search for new cheese. The dwarf people are completely surprised by the situation. They worry about how unfair it is that all of their beautiful cheese is gone. So the two of them wait, hoping that the cheese will come back. After a while, however, Haw realizes that the wait is in vain and starts looking for new cheese. On his way, Haw recognizes the situation he is in and gradually holds it on the walls of the labyrinth. His findings are intended to serve as a support for Hem, should he decide not to be satisfied with the cheeseless situation.

His writings on the walls are:

  • What would I do if I wasn't scared?
  • Smell the cheese more often so you can tell when it is getting old.
  • Move in a new direction! This will help you find cheese.
  • When you overcome your fear, you feel free.
  • When I imagine what it will be like to enjoy the new cheese, I will surely find it.
  • The faster you let go of the old cheese, the faster you will find the new cheese.
  • It is safer to search the maze than to remain in a cheeseless situation.
  • Old beliefs don't lead you to new cheese.
  • When you realize that you can find and enjoy new cheese, you change your course.
  • If you notice the small changes in time, you can better adapt to the big changes ahead.

Eventually Haw finds an even bigger mountain of cheese that is of even better quality than the cheese before. This time he resolves to be more careful, to pay attention to changes and to let go of the old faster in order to be open to new things.

interpretation

The cheese symbolizes everything in life that makes people personally happy. It could be wealth, a happy relationship, a satisfying job, or even a normal activity. Everyone decides for themselves what their cheese is and what makes them happy with it. And without cheese we are unhappy and unfulfilled. Since life is made up of changes that are not always wanted and often suddenly happen, it is important to realize that these changes cannot be stopped. The possibility that remains is to change yourself, to let go of the old and to get involved in new situations.

Thus, the statements of the book can best be summarized with the findings of Haw at the end of the story:

  • Changes happen ( Change happens )
  • Expect the changes
  • Be mindful of changes
  • Adapt quickly to changes
  • Change yourself
  • Enjoy changes
  • Be ready to change quickly and be happy about it again and again

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ who moved my cheese (English)
  2. ↑ Who moved my cheese - from mice and humans ( Memento of the original from May 15, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.ciao.de
  3. ^ Changes - The Mouse Strategy