Book Review

Who Moved My Cheese?

Spencer Johnson
Penguin Putnam Inc.

This simple book is a must-read!

Who Moved My Cheese? is a short, whimsical, easy-to-read, 94-page book that contains a simple parable that reveals the truth about change. The lessons learned in the parable can be applied to any profession (including pharmacy), to your practice, and to your life. The story features four characters: two mice (Sniff and Scurry) and two “little people” (Hem and Haw), all of whom live in a maze and look for “cheese” to nourish them and make them happy. The maze represents the place in which you look for what you want (the pharmacy you work in, the meetings you attend, the community you live in, the patients and doctors whom you serve, etc.). The cheese represents what you want to have in life (a successful compounding practice, good employees, money, business, knowledge, recognition, etc.). Who Moved My Cheese? shows the ways in which the four characters deal with change. When the cheese is moved from its place, each character handles the challenge differently. Each has different strategies of coping with change that represent different ways in which we (and our employees, friends, and family members) face challenges produced by uncertainty.

In today’s world of pharmacy, if you don’t “move with the cheese,” the consequences could be dire. The author emphasizes the importance of learning to manage the effects of change effectively and successfully. We as pharmacists must embrace the tremendous changes that have occurred in our profession if we are to succeed in today’s healthcare market.