PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY
Who moved my
Cheese?
By Joan van Rensburg - AIM Chairman’s Club Director
Embracing our fast changing world. That is our new challenge! Our world is changing daily at a rapid pace. Technology is changing, our economies are changing, the way we communicate is changing, and the way we do business is changing. Adaption to change is crucial if we want our AIM Businesses to not only survive, but also to thrive. I recall 2 books which I purchased in 1999 at the AIM Celebration in Baltimore, USA. These books had such a profound impact on my approach to my AIM business, and are so relevant to the current circumstances we all find ourselves in. Their titles have remained embedded in my mind all these years. The first one was... Who moved my cheese? By Spencer Johnson MD. It was a 1998 best business tool and a New York best seller for 5 consecutive years. Very simplistic, very thought provoking. A story of 4 imaginary characters, 2 mice, Sniff and Scurry and 2 little people Hem and Haw. They represent the complex parts of ourselves, irrespective of age, gender, race or nationality. They find their cheeses, but then they are taken away, moved somewhere else, and then found again. They live in a maze, which represents our lives, and their search for cheese, represents our happiness and success. 14
Sep - Oct 2020 / to order call 011-675-0477
Sometimes we may be like Sniff... Who sniffs out change early or Scurry, who scurries into action or Hem, who denies and resists change as he fears it will lead to something worse, or Haw, who learns to adapt in time when he sees changing leads to something better!! The morals of the storyline are: ...Smell the cheese often, so you know when it is getting old. ...The quicker you get rid of the old cheese, the sooner you can embrace the new cheese. ...Face your fears, move with the new cheese and enjoy it. The other book is titled 'Life is Tremendous' by Charlie 'Tremendous' Jones. He is an author, Executive, Humorist and Master of Salesmanship. Little did I realise that Charlie Jones implemented the information he got from the book 'Who moved my cheese'. It contributed to his success and his own book! AIMazing advice on how to deal with change, both in your life and the workplace. They both offer unique insights
