Corporate change is relentless. Mergers, reorganizations, AI, shifting leadership and leadership priorities can exhaust even the most resilient person being asked to adapt to new tools, new expectations, and new norms every day.

Yet despite workshops and training sessions on how to “manage change,” the human response remains remarkably consistent: people resist change, at least at first. Not because they’re lazy or close-minded, but because change threatens stability and identity and it makes them FEEL bad.

This is where Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson still resonates. I know! That old thing? But let me make my case before you say “no.”

At its core, Who Moved My Cheese? is a simple story where a “maze” represents the environments we work and live in i.e., our companies, our industries, our routines. The “cheese” stands for what we value: a stable job, a successful project, a promotion, or even a sense of identity tied to professional success.

It offers four memorable characters who mirror common individual reactions to change:

• Sniff and Scurry, two mice who react quickly when the cheese disappears by adapting and looking for new cheese. Sniff senses change early like employees who notice trends before others do. Scurry takes quick action aka the “let’s just get on with it” types.
• Hem and Haw, two “little people” who struggle. Hem resists change, insisting that someone has stolen what’s rightfully his. Haw eventually learns to adapt by moving through fear, venturing into the unknown, and looking for new cheese. Hem clings to the past like the employee who says, “But we’ve always done it this way.” Haw eventually laughs at his own fear and provides a reminder that humility and humor can unlock adaptation.

Most people recognize themselves, or their colleagues, in one of these characters. That recognition alone can shift behavior more effectively than a strategy manual.

When people see themselves in a story, they begin to own their response to change. And that’s where transformation starts.

We are reminded that change always happens and that we can resist it, and get stuck, or embrace it and find new opportunities.

It’s a message so obvious that you might not think it bears repeating, but it does, especially when you consider how rapidly change takes place and how much resilience we are asked, or rather required, to employ.

To many, especially those familiar with expansive management theory, Who Moved My Cheese? can be overly simplistic. There’s no mention of organizational systems, leadership structures, resistance analysis, or stakeholder engagement which are all key pillars in change management that are used widely, to good ends, by change management professionals and organizational leaders.

And, if you have hours to spend learning and applying change theory, please do so. Most people going through change, however, don’t have time to learn deep theory. The number one issue they are facing is how hard changes FEELS. Making change work, for themselves, is often the number one priority and making it work often means tackling those hard feelings first.

Individuals struggling with change will resist new systems, new leaders, and new strategies even if they are better than the old ones. And leaders will wonder how to inspire people who are weary from constant transformation and upheaval. And that’s where organizational change often gets stuck: In the space between how people feel and the need for them to make the change.

The truth is, no model or theory can replace a person’s mindset.

Spencer Johnson wasn’t writing for change management professionals speaking about theory; he was writing for everyone managing workloads, facing reorganizations, or wondering what AI means for their job security. I know that I’m wondering what it means.

Who Moved My Cheese? doesn’t explain how to manage change; it helps people feel differently about change and helps them understand that even when things change there is always something they can control. Most employees aren’t looking for a framework; they’re looking for mental relief and ease. They often don’t need academic models; they need reassurance, perspective, and a simple way to THINK about their situation.

Cheesy Lessons for the Today’s Workplace

1. Anticipate Change

In today’s workplace, waiting for change to happen is no longer an option. Whether it’s AI integration, market shifts, or corporate restructuring, change is constant and often faster than expected.

Sniff and Scurry succeed because they anticipate that the cheese might not last forever. They pay attention, notice small shifts, and are ready to move when the time comes.

For leaders, this translates into fostering situational awareness. Encourage your teams to track trends, monitor signals, and think beyond the immediate task. For individuals, it means staying curious and maintaining professional agility like learning new skills before they become mandatory.

2. Don’t Let Comfort Create Complacency

Hem and Haw become complacent. They grow attached to their cheese station, assuming it will always be there.

This mirrors what happens in many organizations when individual and team success leads to stagnation. Teams that once innovated now defend the status quo. Managers who once inspired change now resist it.

Johnson’s message is clear: comfort can be dangerous. The more attached you become to your current “cheese,” the harder it is to move when it’s gone.

In a corporate setting, this lesson speaks directly to cultural agility and the ability to evolve even when things are STILL going well.

3. Face Fear with Humor and Curiosity

When Haw finally decides to leave the empty cheese station, he’s terrified. But as he moves, he laughs at himself and that laughter breaks the paralysis.

This moment is deeply human. Fear of change is universal, but so is the ability to adapt. Humor, curiosity, and, especially, small experiments can help people reframe anxiety as discovery.

For leaders, this means creating psychological safety which may be as simple as letting people know that it’s okay to make mistakes while learning or admitting to your own hesitations and fears. When employees see leaders admitting uncertainty or sharing how they’re adapting, it creates acceptance for the normal human reactions to change.

4. Let Go of the Past

Perhaps the hardest lesson in the book is letting go. Hem never does, and he stays stuck. Haw moves forward by releasing his attachment to what used to be.

In corporate terms, this applies to outdated strategies, processes, or identities. Letting go doesn’t mean dismissing the past, it means learning from it, celebrating it, but without clinging to it.

When companies restructure or adopt new technology, it’s normal for employees to mourn what was. Leaders must acknowledge that loss and help employees bridge the emotional gap between endings and beginnings.

5. Move with Purpose

The story’s simplicity hides a profound truth: movement itself creates energy. Once Haw starts moving, he gains confidence. Taking even small steps in proactive direction helps increase the sense of control people need to feel during times of change. Waiting breeds fear; action breeds insight. Or, as Johnson puts it: “Movement in a new direction helps you find new cheese.”

Bonus: Turn Lessons Into Team Habits

Habit	How It Connects to the Book	Example Practice
Weekly “Cheese Check”	Keeps awareness of ongoing changes	5-minute team check-in: “What’s changing around us, and how can we prepare?”
Celebrate Small Moves	Reinforces progress and learning	Publicly acknowledge one example of someone “moving through the maze” each week
Reflect and Reset	Encourages learning from change experiences	After each project, debrief: “Where did we cling to old cheese?” “What helped us adapt?”
“What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?” moments	Promotes courage in decision-making	When facing a tough call, use the question to open dialogue about risk and fear