Blog Post: Arizona Mature Workers - Has Your Cheese Moved?

Ms. Joyce Finkelstein, Work/Life Coach and Mediator, and resident of Green Valley, Arizona

Mature Workers---Has Your Cheese Moved?
by Ms. Joyce Finkelstein

I recently re-read, Who Moved My Cheese?. This is a wonderful book by Spencer Johnson, M.D. (who co-authored with Ken Blanchard, Ph.D. The One Minute Manager). It tells the story of two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two littlepeople, Hem and Haw, who live in a maze and how each reacts, after working to find a stash of cheese, when their Cheese is moved.

The mice respond, almost instinctually. Sniff sniffs out new possibilities while Scurry explores different parts of the maze, trying one area then another. Before too long, the mice find an even better, even bigger stash of cheese. Meanwhile, the littlepeople, using their intellect, discuss the unfairness that their cheese has been moved and that they are entitled to cheese. Eventually, Haw conquers his fear of the unknown and ventures out into the maze. He does not find the cheese immediately; there are “dead-ends” in the maze. Haw leaves messages on the walls of the maze for Hem, the “Handwriting on the Wall.” Haw perseveres and finds even more and better cheese than he had before.

This is a wonderful parable for how we react to change. The Cheese is a metaphor for our goals is life, whether that is a fulfilling job, a good relationship or whatever is meaningful to you. The Maze is the environment where you look to fulfill your goals. This could be your place of work, your family or your community.

How do we as Mature Workers react to the changes in our environments? Do we bemoan the unfairness of the situation and ignore the small changes in our lives, until the changes are so big that they cannot be ignored? Do we analyze the situation, only to make changes when absolutely necessary? Or do we “keep an eye out” for the small changes in our environments? Do we try new things? Are we open to new possibilities and challenges? Indeed, do we embrace them?

Who Moved My Cheese? is a very quick read; it took me only an hour to read the entire book. It has a different meaning and different applications for each who reads it. Which of the characters are you? And don’t miss the Handwriting on the Wall!

We invite you to visit the Arizona Mature Worker Website, hosted by Jobing.com, at www.azmatureworkers.com Check it out today!