Have you read the book Who Moved My Cheese? It was released back in 1998 and stayed on the New York Times Best-Seller List for just about 5 years.
If you haven’t read it, the book describes change in one’s life through the eyes of two mice and two people searching for cheese within a maze environment. The maze, to me, represents life. The book was actually met with much criticism by opponents who viewed it as a way for a corporation to satiate its employees during times of re-structure.
Either way, book came to mind because I was out of the office the last few business days for health reasons and during that time my manager gave his two week notice. My cheese at “Cheese Station C” just got moved.
- Am I surprised? Not really.
- Am I anxious? I was for a minute.
- Am I wondering what will happen next? Sure.
Life is fluid and the unexpected can happen at any time. I don’t know what this means for me or my department. Rather than focus on the “what if?” question, I decided to take an approach that will reduce the stress in my already busy life. I decided to…
- Collaborate with the people internally as we navigate the change that has occurred in the midst of other company changes.
- Think of it as an opportunity. Who knows what possibilities may come of it?
- Focus on my next projects outside of work – a la writing and my volunteer work.
- Practice a positive attitude. A little will go a long way. Of course, I am working on this one each and every day.
Be ready for the next cheese move because there’s always one coming!
Stephanie Lema 