Dearborn County Chamber of Commerce

It’s been 10 years since One Minute Manager author Spencer Johnson wrote, Who Moved My Cheese? Yet the principles he laid out to help readers understand and cope with change seem as relevant as ever in these turbulent economic times.

Chamber members got a fresh look at Johnson’s down-to-earth discussion on how to understand change as Nancy Bevli, a Workforce and Economic Development Senior Corporate Trainer at Ivy Tech, presented a video and led an interactive discussion at a Lunch & Learn program in May.

Who Moved My Cheese? is a 94-page, easy-read story about change that takes place in a maze where four amusing characters look for “cheese,” with cheese being a metaphor for what people have or seek in life … a job, a relationship, money, a big house, freedom, health, recognition, etc.

The four characters make their way through the maze. Two are mice – Sniff and Scurry. Two are other little characters – Hem and Haw. Their names are a tip off to the way they deal with life’s changes. Observing how they cope when someone “moves their cheese” (creates change in their lives) provides interesting lessons.

Ms. Bevli made a number of key points:

• When you change what you believe, you change what you do.
• Learn how to let go of the past.
• Change happens, so anticipate it, monitor it, adapt quickly to it,
• make change, and enjoy it.
• Don’t isolate yourself in your comfort zone.
• Overreaction to change is very normal.

Ms. Bevli and others at Ivy Tech conduct programs for companies and organizations. Her telephone is 812/265-2580 Ext. 4191 and her email is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .