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I Moved Your Cheese: For Those Who Refuse to Live as Mice in Someone Else's Maze (Bk Business) Hardcover – September 5, 2011
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Over a decade ago the bestselling business fable Who Moved My Cheese? offered its answer to this question: accept that change is inevitable and beyond your control, don't waste your time wondering why things are the way they are, keep your head down and start looking for the cheese.
But success in the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity, leadership and business growth--as well as personal growth--depends on the ability to push the boundaries, reshape the environment, and play by a different set of rules: our own. With that in mind, Harvard Business School professor Deepak Malhotra offers a radically different answer to this question.
Malhotra tells an inspiring story about three unique and adventurous mice--Max, Big and Zed--who refuse to accept their reality as given. As we watch their lives unfold and intersect, we discover that instead of just blindly chasing after the cheese, each of us has the ability to escape the maze or even reconfigure it to our liking.
In the face of established practices, traditional ideas, scarce resources and the powerful demands or expectations of others, we often underestimate our ability to control our own destiny and overcome the constraints we face--or think we face. I Moved Your Cheese reminds us that we can create the new circumstances and realities we want, but first we must discard the often deeply ingrained notion that we are nothing more than mice in someone else's maze. As Zed explains, "You see, Max, the problem is not that the mouse is in the maze, but that the maze is in the mouse."
- Print length120 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBerrett-Koehler Publishers
- Publication dateSeptember 5, 2011
- Dimensions5.75 x 0.55 x 8.75 inches
- ISBN-101609940652
- ISBN-13978-1609940652
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Editorial Reviews
Review
--Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The Leader in Me
"A magnificent story with a powerful message. As someone who has encouraged scores of professionals into breaking through the maze and defining their own pursuits, I find this to be a gem of a book. A must-read."
--Vinod Khosla, cofounder and former CEO and Chairman, Sun Microsystems, and founder, Khosla Ventures
"Deepak Malhotra tackles our assumptions about business and life with humor, zest, and wisdom in this delightful fable. If you've ever rankled at the thought of being just another mouse in the maze, this is the book for you."
--Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind
"An excellent book with sound lessons on how to change our circumstance and create new realities in our personal and professional lives."
--Deepak Chopra, Adjunct Professor, Kellogg School of Management, and coauthor of War of the Worldviews
"A book that will inspire the imagination of mice and managers. A formula for breaking out of the maze and creating new realities in life and in business."
--Barry Nalebuff, Milton Steinbach Professor, Yale School of Management; cofounder, Honest Tea; and coauthor of Thinking Strategically, The Art of Strategy, and Why Not?
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
They called it a revolution. The lesson—the insight—had spread throughout the maze. Scarcely a mouse remained who had not heard what was contained in the good book.
The insight was profound. More importantly, it did not rely too much on one’s ability to reason. And any mouse will tell you that this attribute is the hallmark of all great truths. So it was accepted as perhaps the greatest, and certainly the most important, truth. And it was all so simple.
The book made it clear: Change happens. You can sit there and complain about it, or you can change with the times. Do not fear change. Accept change. What happens in the maze is beyond your control. What you can control is your reaction.
Now, just because every mouse had come to understand this insight does not mean that every one of them was able to adopt it in practice. Some succeeded fully. They learned that change is inevitable and uncontrollable. They accepted that they were helpless to control the workings of the maze—fate, they called it—and they pledged to adapt.
Many others succeeded to a lesser degree. They still had moments of fear, immobility, depression, and despair. But such moments were less frequent than in the past. These mice improved their lot in the maze considerably.
To be sure, there were also mice who rarely thought about what the good book taught them. They agreed with it in principle but did not have the time or energy to change their ways. After all, habits are hard to break. They would work on it later—maybe next week, maybe next year.
Overall, life in the maze was now quite different. In the past, when cheese moved from one location to another, all the mice were in despair. They could not understand what happened. They cursed their luck. They sat and waited in the cheese corner of the past and prayed for its return. They got agitated and lost their temper. They got angry and made an already difficult life even worse.
Now, after reading the good book, the mice reacted differently. The disappearance of the cheese was still traumatic, and it was still impossible to understand why the cheese had moved. But now the mice began to go in search of new cheese depots. Those who had fully adopted the good book’s philosophy were the first to set about in search of the new cheese.
Those who struggled with the philosophy, who found it difficult to break old habits, were slower to move. But they, too, understood that they had to change with changing times. They, too, eventually went to look for more cheese.
By learning to change with changing times, the mice succeeded in finding more cheese. They found it more quickly than they had ever done in the past. The good book was right! They had cheese … more cheese, and sooner than ever before. It does not get much better than that if you are a mouse.
And so the mice no longer questioned why the cheese moved. Everyone agreed that such questions had no answers. They did not try to devise plans to try to stop the cheese from moving. Only a fool would think that fate could be controlled. Above all, they never again asked the unreasonable question, “Who moved my cheese?”
Life was simpler now. It all came down to a very simple equation:
You want cheese
+
The cheese is no longer here
= Go elsewhere to find the cheese.
After all, for a mouse in a maze, cheese is really all that matters.
But then …
Well … then there was Max.
And Max was altogether different.
Product details
- Publisher : Berrett-Koehler Publishers; 1st edition (September 5, 2011)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 120 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1609940652
- ISBN-13 : 978-1609940652
- Item Weight : 9.6 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.75 x 0.55 x 8.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,122,476 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4,675 in Motivational Management & Leadership
- #5,309 in Business Motivation & Self-Improvement (Books)
- #13,754 in Success Self-Help
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Deepak Malhotra is a professor at Harvard Business School, and the award-winning author of "Negotiation Genius" and "Negotiating the Impossible". He is an advisor to CEOs across the globe, and to governments that are aspiring to end or prevent violent armed conflicts. In 2020, Deepak was was named Business School "Professor of the Year" by Poets & Quants. Deepak's latest book (& debut novel), "The Peacemaker's Code", was awarded the "National Indie Excellence Award" for Science Fiction (2021).
Previous books: Negotiating the Impossible (Outstanding Book Award); I Moved Your Cheese (WSJ Bestseller); Negotiation Genius (Outstanding Book Award).
Website: www.DeepakMalhotra.com.
Twitter: @Prof_Malhotra.
Free videos by Deepak Malhotra:
www.NegotiateYourOffer.com
www.ThePurposeOfEducation.com (speech to HBS grads)
www.NegotiatingTheImpossible.com (40 free, short vids on negotiation)
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book well worth reading and a must-read for managers and entrepreneurs. They appreciate the thought-provoking concepts and interesting take on life and work. The book is described as an easy, clear read with simple language. Readers like the idea and overall concept, finding it a great follow-up to the original. The design is praised as impressive and professional. However, opinions differ on the length - some find it short enough to read in an hour, while others consider it too short.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the book's value for money. They say it's a nice book for managers and entrepreneurs. The book is full, encouraging, and inspiring, making it worth adding to any bookshelf.
"...We have a lot we could learn from the mice in this short tale. Worth a read and then you can return to your comatose state immediately." Read more
"...Overall, a good book though. I bought the Kindle version initially, and later a hard copy version to share with others...." Read more
"...This is key in every life decision. It's worth reading and passing it to our loved ones." Read more
"...good, and a 5 start review would indicate a book that is well worth reading multiple times and is might even be on the list of my all time favorites." Read more
Customers find the book's concepts touching and inspiring. They find it offers a different and interesting take on life and work than Who Moved My Cheese. The simple narrative makes it a quick read, making them think about their current business model. The book provides a powerful metaphor for the traps we often find ourselves in.
"The PROS: short, concise, quick-read, easy to understand, humorous, engaging..." Read more
"...of reading could be used in a business course to engage and expose young minds in preparation for a corporate life." Read more
"...On the surface there is no Negotiation there. The simple and engaging narrative makes it a quick read. But the message is powerful...." Read more
"...the foreward and "discussion questions" at the end - but an interesting fable that gives you some philosophical points to ponder...." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and well-written. They appreciate the concise narrative and clear writing style. The book is straightforward and worth reading, making it simple to understand.
"The PROS: short, concise, quick-read, easy to understand, humorous, engaging..." Read more
"...On the surface there is no Negotiation there. The simple and engaging narrative makes it a quick read. But the message is powerful...." Read more
"...thank you for making it simple to understand and to live better in a very complex world." Read more
"...It is a quick read, easy to understand and witty in its own way. Bravo, Mr. Malhotra!" Read more
Customers like the idea and overall concept of the book. They say it's a great follow-up to the original, and a good sequel.
"I read Who Moved My Cheese and then this. I like the idea and overall concept. Worth the read I'd say." Read more
"This is almost as good as Dr. Spencer Johnson's book. Great follow up!" Read more
"A wonderful response to the original..." Read more
"Great sequal..." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's design. They say it's well-designed and impressive.
"...Pretty impressive!" Read more
"...Stimulates a lot of great discussion personally and professionally. A must read which can be very insightful and helpful to individuals or groups." Read more
"Succinct and well designed..." Read more
Customers have different views on the book's length. Some find it short enough to read in an hour, while others say it's too short.
"The PROS: short, concise, quick-read, easy to understand, humorous, engaging..." Read more
"This book is short enough to read in an hour, but powerful enough where you will want to read the same sentence several times over...." Read more
"This is a short and well written book that challenges the "do as your told and don't ask questions" mentality of 'who moved my cheese'...." Read more
"This is well worth a read. Or two. Or ten. It's a very short book that presents some really simple ideas that can be very powerful...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2024World populations in a mass media monotony induced state of unconscious staring, total distraction and suspended disbelief. We have a lot we could learn from the mice in this short tale. Worth a read and then you can return to your comatose state immediately.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2018The PROS: short, concise, quick-read, easy to understand, humorous, engaging
The CONS: frustrating to know not everyone can immediately apply these concepts, so perhaps the message of the book is a little too idealistic for the average person, and the discussion questions at the end are a little overwhelming due to the volume of questions provided. Overall, a good book though. I bought the Kindle version initially, and later a hard copy version to share with others. I also own WMMC which is equally enlightening and counterintuitive, so I encourage people to chase WMMC down with this book to get a balanced perspective on cheese-hunting.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2024This is not casual reading. Although I do read to learn and be able to share what I learned, this material should give you a letter grade for reading it. This level of reading could be used in a business course to engage and expose young minds in preparation for a corporate life.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2011In an era of data overflow, complex models and increasing instability, Professor Malhotra, a tenured HBS Scholar, offers us a fable? I bought the book because I really apreciated the author's work on The Negotiation Genius. And I was expecting more Negotiation tools and insights. But this book really surprised me. On the surface there is no Negotiation there. The simple and engaging narrative makes it a quick read. But the message is powerful. I think the great contribution Professor Malhotra, as an educator, offers with this book is to extend the concept of framing to a larger audience. This is key in Negotiations. This is key in every life decision. It's worth reading and passing it to our loved ones.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2012This is a very short book - it took me about 1/2 hour to read, including the foreward and "discussion questions" at the end - but an interesting fable that gives you some philosophical points to ponder. It didn't hold any "aha" moments for me; none of the philosophy contained in the fable is either new or dramatic, but I enjoyed it and thought it was worth reading. Certainly worth the .$99 special price I paid for it.
Note that (to me) a 3 star review is a decent book worth reading, a 4 star review indicates a book I thought was really good, and a 5 start review would indicate a book that is well worth reading multiple times and is might even be on the list of my all time favorites.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2013A pithy book is often better than a long book, even with identical pricing. This book is even shorter than it seems since 40% of the book is teaching aids (at the back of the book). Reading on kindle, I was surprised I was finished at 60%. So it's very brief. However, the book makes its point, relates it to the One Minute Manager series book, "Who Moved My Cheese?", and provides a potent maze metaphor for the traps we often find ourselves in.
Read this book if you want to escape the cheese chase and think outside the maze.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2011Amazing book : Simply Loved it ! Made me think a lot on my current business model. Now planning to change the model completely.Thank God read it in time before starting the same "routine model". Felt liberated. Somehow this book gave me courage and pushed me to get out of the maze. On a personal front really helped me view my life from a different perspective. Made me realize that, not everything that can be counted, counts . Plan to read it again and again for new insights. Thank you Prof. Deepak can't wait for the next book !
- Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2024A reflection on how rote is ingrained in individuals. Also let's you know you can Brea out of your maze.
Top reviews from other countries
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José MacayaReviewed in Spain on June 13, 2022
3.0 out of 5 stars Esperaba más del autor, que es un gran conferenciante.
Una fábula que incita a pensar, pero nada original. esperaba más del autor, que es un gran conferenciante.
- BookworshipperReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 9, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars What a book?
This is a book I read with scepticism. I thought this was written just to refute what was written in Who Moved My Cheese. I got the same feeling in the beginning pages of introduction but once I started reading, it opened up a completely new world of thinking.
Who Moved My Cheese was an excellent book addressing vital question of adjusting to changing world. There was a chance that message has been misinterpreted by some as recommendation not to resist the change or to escape from it.
This book addresses this question of possible misinterpretation admirably. In fact it is a book which gives new insights every time you study and analyse. This is a stand alone book which stimulates thoughts and action.
I think this book is an essential reading in addition to Who Moved My Cheese and Out of the Maze by Dr Spencer Johnson. All three books together give enjoyable and life education.
This book is worth every penny we pay for it- I would strongly recommend it.
- Alberto Maria VillaReviewed in Italy on April 6, 2020
1.0 out of 5 stars Cheese Intolerant
Not worth the read, not a nook but a metaphor that can be twisted as best fit, but without giving any helpful take-away
- vishwanathReviewed in India on June 6, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read
This book is simply amazing. I felt after reading "who moved my cheese " that the message was good but somehow something was missing. This book definitely fills that void. Its again quite a small book but the messages in this book are very profound . I have gifted the hard copy to 2 of my close friends.
- Amazon KundeReviewed in Germany on October 15, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Super price and quality
Fast delivery, and product is just as described. I would recommend this seller.