Sunday, August 14, 2011

Who Moved My Cheese?

I'm not quite sure where to start with this. We received a book in our all hands meeting last week that I'm actually surprised I've never read before.
It's called Who Moved My Cheese, by Spencer Johnson, M.D. It's all about change in your workplace and how to deal, but it's very simplified.
It's the story of two mice and two "littlepeople", who, in their daily maze get used to finding cheese where they have found it every day. Then, one day, it's gone.
I'm having a hard time with this book and my emotions relating to my job. There's been a lot of changes lately...new title, new responsibilities, new management...things that I don't feel are "right" or how things SHOULD be done.
In the book, Hem and Haw, the "littlepeople", discuss how they deserve their cheese. How they have worked hard for THEIR cheese. Hem said they were entitled to their cheese and how dare someone move it, change things, when they have worked so hard.

That's how I've been feeling lately. I'm not the boss. This is MY company. And there are MANY other people higher up than me. But you know what? The past six years I've given my blood, sweat, and tears for this department and this company, and yes, I DO feel entitled to be upset about the changes and feel like these people just aren't doing things right. I feel entitled to feel that if I've given so much, and now these changes are happenng, I've just wasted all that blood, sweat, and tears.

I feel like this book is about being afraid of change. I'm not afraid of change, I've never been afraid of change. I think change is good, I think it helps people learn, and I think it can make things better. My problem is I don't think THIS change is good. So, I pose the question....at what point do you accept change, because it's change and your superiors say, this change is coming deal with it? If you aren't fighting the change just because it's change, but you're fighting the change because you don't think it's the RIGHT change, does Who Moved My Cheese really apply? At what point do you resign to the change, because you can't change what the "superiors" have to say and do even if you don't believe in it?

I don't have the answers...do you?