Spencer Johnson (1) (1938–2017)

I, like a number of other readers, do not understand how this book came to be one of the best-selling management books of all time. Having read dozens of books on management, leadership, etc., I find myself compelled to disqualify positive reviews of this book as possibly being submitted by people who are either not well-read or who do not have much experience in the management/leadership arena (or quite possibly a myopia-inducing combination of both deficiencies).

The book is overly show more simplistic, condescending, painfully obvious, predictable and unimaginative. You would have to be a manager terribly lacking in self-reflection, self-awareness who is wholly lacking in any capacity for introspective praxis to have your eyes opened by this book. (However, I suppose that if you are a person lacking in such capacities, then please, by all means, do read it!) If you are an employee and your boss gives you this book, s/he is basically trying to tell you that you are a dead-weight who's going nowhere in your company unless you get with the corporate program. Similarly, if you are the boss and a subordinate recommends that you read this book, s/he is trying to tell you that you are a bonehead and that you don't deserve the position that you currently hold.

The book is very short so I guess the most I can say for it is that at least when you waste your time reading it, you won't be wasting too much of it. I finished the book and thought to myself, "Now there's an hour of my life I'll never get back!" Do yourself a favor and put your hard-earned money towards reading something of substance on leadership like Collins' Good to Great, Rima's Leading from the Inside Out or any of Greenleaf's various works on servant leadership. I'd go as far as to assert that the average 9-to-5er would probably find more insight into adaptation practices by reading a handful of Dilbert cartoon strips (and would certainly enjoy him/herself more!)

(By the way, as of Oct 2009 there were 2200 'used' copies available from independent booksellers on Amazon.com starting as low as $.01. What that means is that sellers are willing to give away their copies hoping you're at least willing to pay the shipping. That's how bad they want these off their bookshelves! Prospective buyers beware -- there's a reason that there are so many of these available at such a low price!)

Update -- Unbelievable! I have just discovered that the author has come out with a children's and a teens' version of this book! Three troubling observations occur to me: First, I thought the original book was for children so this version is redundant. Second, these conspirators (author, publisher, distributor, etc.) have obviously found a way to expand their pool of unsuspecting victims by now going after our children's hard-earned book money. And third, they appear to be interested (read: self-interested) in perpetuating the creation of mind-numbed corporate robots by brainwashing their would-be victims with this drivel at an ever-earlier age. I never thought that I'd find myself a proponent of book-banning censorship but we can't take this outrage lying down--demand that this book be banned from the local elementary school and public libraries and school or community book fairs! show less

Book 32 - Dr Spencer Johnson - Who moved my cheese ?

Fascinating wee story about change...

- How we accept change ?
- How we manage change ?
- How we fight against change ?
- How different people are motivated to change
- And why some people will never ever ever change....

The story of two little mice and two little humans and how they need to find cheese in a maze to live....the real eye opening was the difference between the characters when they can’t find their cheese. I know it sounds silly show more and it is but it is also a great story with many different layers.

A deep story ? Or an obvious one ? Easy to understand ? Or what was that about ?

I enjoyed it and think I will read it again in a few weeks...the story is sandwiched between how the story influenced a business and then concludes with a small group of friends contemplating it. Would be brilliant for a chat with friends and colleagues.

‘He was beginning to realize the difference between activity and productivity.’

‘He decided that if he ever got the chance again, he would get out of his comfort zone and adapt to change sooner. It would make things easier.’

What does change mean to you ? Something to fear or welcomed like an old friend ? show less

Este librillo, casi folleto (tiene 100 páginas escritas en Arial 18) ha dado la vuelta al mundo, condensando entre sus tapas diversas perlas de sabiduría personal y empresarial que transformarán la vida de todo aquél que lo lea. Eso dicen todas las críticas oficiales que he podido encontrar. Para ser finos, sólo puedo decir que el libro es una bosta. He visto libros para niños de 3 años que tienen una mayor complejidad de ideas y conceptos.
La historia se puede resumir básicamente show more en una frase (les acabo de ahorrar 8 euros y media hora de lectura, de nada):

Si las cosas cambian y no estás preparado te irá mal

Y si ya quieren un resumen más extenso, en una sola página nos lo resume el autor:



En serio, no malgasten su tiempo en este libro. Hay gente a la que le ha servido para algo, según manifiestan en sus declaraciones, pero eso ocurre también con los ataques al corazón. Que a alguien le haya servido para algo no significa que todo el mundo tenga que sufrirlo.
Mi nota: Insustancial show less

I can't believe this book was so highly-touted. But at the time it came out, corporate trainers, executives, the media, bookstores and many people with the power to sway the masses were hyping it up.

It says nothing new in an unimaginative way. People today are being forced to change, whether or not they want to. And they are changing without knowing what is happening. If you've read The Seven Habits and The Fifth Discipline, and get the concepts, you don't need this book.

I guess the book was show more written for un-reflective people that really don't like to read and need fluff in order to understand concepts like personal change. We're in trouble if there are enough people like that to make this a best-seller! show less