Who Moved My Cheese (Again)?

At a recent networking event, a friend was discussing how the nature of her work has changed. As a software and human resources trainer, she has observed and participated in several workplace evolutions and revolutions.

When I first worked on a computer, I learned WordPerfect and Lotus 1-2-3 for dos and struggled to master Harvard Graphics without a users’ manual because the printed copy could not be located. There was no Internet connection at work, nor did I have email. The introduction of Windows revolutionized the way that I worked then and now. And the increasing influence of the Internet and mobile connectivity means that I must always learn new ways of doing business.

In other words, if I were one of the characters in the book, Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer Johnson, my cheese would be a continually moving target. A seemingly simple fable about mice and “Littlepeople” (aptly named Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw), this book makes many readers think carefully about their own coping mechanisms and the ways in which they adapt to (inevitable) changes in their lives.

For me, the value of this book lies in its implied challenge — to incorporate its message into my own situation and respond appropriately to what can become positive changes rather than to oppose all deviations from the existing “norm” without thought. I have to admit that I don’t embrace all change equally and without any resistance. But after reading this book, I consider carefully the broader impact of change rather than just its effects on my particular circumstances.

There is an abundance of extremely valuable classic business and management books, including the following: The One Minute Manager, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , and Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't. However, Who Moved My Cheese? is my favorite because it has remained the most relevant to me since I first read it a decade ago.

What is your favorite business or management book? I plan to use the selected entries in a future blog, so email me at nwolpin@hotmail.com with the name and author of the book along with one or two sentences explaining why you found it influential. Include your name and any contact information that you would like to see mentioned in the blog. I’m looking forward to your response.

Employee Performance Reviews: A Two-Way Street

Although we might no be aware of it, we have been evaluated from the time of birth when our length and weight are compared to those of the average newborn. In preschool and school, we are evaluated for our academic performance and social development. Our teachers are judged for their educational skills and interactions with those in their classes, and school administrators are likewise evaluated for their own accomplishments and the accomplishments of the entire school.

We continue to be evaluated throughout our working lives. From CEOs whose actions and results are commented on by a variety of stakeholders, to employees in the mailroom, we all want our performances to be judged fairly. And managers should realize that the employee performance evaluations that they use to judge their staff also reflect who and what they are. They are not only judging their employees but also being judged by them.

I believe that we should be accountable for achieving goals that are attainable and for which adequate resources have been allocated, but that we should not be criticized for our inability to adhere to unreasonable performance demands.

Many of us are familiar with the SMART principles of establishing objectives for employees:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Reasonable
Timely

I would also like to see reviews that are FAIR:

Fruitful
Accurate
Informative
Responsible

Employee performance evaluations can either create positive and productive working environments or negatively impact company objectives and employee morale. As an employee who is a manager and has a manager, I want to provide and receive reviews that are knowledgeable and insightful. Although I have to admit that I dislike being criticized, I know when the criticism is warranted and when it is based on inaccurate perception. If a review is a true dialogue rather than a manager's monologue, it can help both parties.

Not Just Another Business Blog

Why another business blog? As Calvin Coolidge said, “… the chief business of the American people is business.” Although this observation dates back to 1925, I believe that it is still valid today. As a business owner, an employee, and a consumer, I know that business touches every aspect of our lives. And in this blog, I would like to address many of the themes that are of major concerns to all of these groups: accounting and finance, sales and marketing, information technology and the Internet, risk management, ethics, leadership, performance management, and human resources.

For companies to prosper, they need to continually monitor and respond to these issues and the rapidly changing regulatory, technological and fiscal climates. And so much material, including an abundance of blogs, has been and is being written for businesses.

I would like to distinguish this blog from many others by dealing with some topics that I consider “sidelights” – topics largely ignored in other blogs and in business articles — as well as with the larger issues. Also, because no one can possibly be an expert in everything, I would like to have other writers, specialists in their respective fields, contribute articles.

I hope that you will agree that this is “not just another business blog.”

For those of you who may be considering blogging yourselves, I would highly recommend blogging for Business by Shel Holtz and Ted Demopoulos. I would also like to thank www.marketingsherpa.com for introducing me to this book.