Today’s post comes courtesy of Alex Masters, Strategic Account Manager at MindLeaders
I’ve just finished reading Who Moved My Cheese by Dr Spencer Johnson, an inspiring book which I have been asked to look at in preparation for the change that 2012 may bring. It’s a parable about dealing with change and in my opinion, it holds a powerful lesson for employers who offer Apprenticeship programmes across the country and will have to deal with a big change: the introduction of Functional Skills in September.
The book focuses on a story around four main characters. There are two mice – Sniff and Scurry – and two “littlepeople” – Hem and Haw. They live in a Maze (an obvious metaphor) and they look for Cheese, which represents happiness and success (less obvious for vegans, perhaps). Initially without Cheese, mice and humans pair off to travel the lengthy corridors of the Maze searching for it.
One day both pairs happen upon a Cheese-filled corridor at “Cheese Station C”. Content with their discovery, the humans establish routines around their daily intake of Cheese and slowly become complacent in the process. But when the Cheese at Cheese Station C dries up, the two pairs respond very differently. Whilst the mice, which are prepared for change, quickly set off to find a new supply, Hem and Haw are quite unable to accept that Cheese Station C is gone. They try everything apart from searching somewhere else. After a struggle, Haw manages to move on and leaves Hem behind.
If you will, imagine the Cheese as the English and Maths element of today’s Apprenticeship framework. How is your organisation reacting to the change and the movement of the Cheese from Key Skills to Functional Skills? I’ve found many employers to be a little like Hem and Haw, producing countless arguments as to why they think Functional Skills just won’t function in a work-based environment. But whether we are ready or not, the Cheese is moving. And we need to see this positively.
A little like the mice who are ready to move when the Cheese starts getting old, MindLeaders has been working extensively over the past four years in anticipation of Functional Skills, understanding what the challenges are and finding a path through the Maze to help employers deliver the new qualifications effectively. And just as Haw manages to change his outlook and move on, several employers are also beginning to embrace the new framework.
Whilst reading the story I began to recognise which character I used to be and see which characters I need to become more like in the future to recognise change for the better, adapt and embrace it. A little less Hem and a lot more Haw: less meek and more mousey! And it’s working – I’ve already made a change by writing my first blog post.
We all face change and we need to approach it in the right way. I encourage you to seek out and invest time in reading Who Moved My Cheese. Not only does the story enlighten you about the importance of embracing change in your professional career, it might also open up a new, better world in your personal life. So inspect your Cheese – is it time to think about a change?
