In preparation for an upcoming Shepherd / Staff retreat we decided to read a couple of little books together. I say little because they are short, to the point reads. The first book Who Moved My Cheese?, by Spencer Johnson, deals with organizational change in a light-hearted manner in a parable about Cheese.
Here’s an excerpt from the forward by Ken Blanchard:
Living in constant white water with the changes occurring all the time at work or in life can be stressful, unless people have a way of looking at change that helps them understand it.
Ken writes about purchasing 200 copies of this book for every person working for his company. To answer the question, "why give a copy to each person?" he writes:
Because like every company that wants to not only survive in the future but stay competive, [his company like other] companies are constantly changing. They keep moving our "Cheese." While in the past we may have wanted loyal employees, today we need flexible people who are not possessive about "the way things are done around here."
I’m faced with a dilemma in my new ministry position. It is the same dilemma faced by every new minister, every new staff person, every new employee. We come in with fresh eyes and see things that need to be changed, we see things that need to be fixed. Ironically changing and fixing these things is usually what leads to us being fired or resigning.
Imagine how much healthier our churches could be if we had more "flexible people who are not possessive about the way things are done." Imagine how much healthier you and I would be if we could be more flexible and not possessive about the way things are done.
12 Responses to “Speaking of Cheese”
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August 24th, 2006 at 8:57 am
Even when we know change is coming, it is still hard to accept. That’s a challenge I myself strive to work towards. You know how stubborn I could
be about changing. Thanks for the reminder.
August 24th, 2006 at 8:57 am
I imagine how much healthier our churches could be if we had more “flexible people who are not possessive about the way things are done” all the time. If only they were more like me!
August 24th, 2006 at 9:02 am
As I alluded to in somebody else’s recent blog, my boss has a saying, “Change is good. You go first!”
Let me preface this with 2 thoughts: 1) I know you know a whole lot more about what you’re talking about than I do. 2) You know I love you dearly. Those two things said, it occurs to me to suggest that flexibility is good on both sides of the coin - the one seeing the need for change as well as those asking, “What’s wrong with the way we’ve always done it?” Maybe easing into it is the way to save frustration on both sides. As I’ve already said, I’m sure I haven’t suggested anything new or anything you haven’t already been over 100 times. My prayers are with you as you go forward.
August 24th, 2006 at 9:22 am
The reading of “Who Moved My Cheese” began the process for our Math Department of seeking ways to better serve our students.
You certainly have a dilemma on your hands. In any organization when there is a change in “leadership,†the new leader must delineate between the proper time to build “credibility†and the proper time to affect much needed change within said organization.
Your leadership retreat sounds like a good place to start. I’m willing to fly out for a nominal fee if you need my services. Do you guys have sweet tea in “NoCal?â€
August 24th, 2006 at 9:35 am
In an attempt to respond to meowmix’s question, I would submit: When the way we’ve always done it has produced 20 years of no growth, why continue? One definition of insanity is to continue doing the same thing while hoping for a different response. A relevant proverb: When the horse is dead, dismount.
August 24th, 2006 at 10:06 am
Point conceded, my dear Stoogelover.
I was merely suggesting that some sensitivity to people’s feelings might be in order………then bring out the big guns if necessary. (Not that I believe you to be an insensitive person, my dear RDW, because I don’t!)
August 24th, 2006 at 12:14 pm
Randy, now here’s a subject we’ve talked a bit about going back to our days in Bluegene, Or. And ever since then our Church surroundings have forced me to think about it nearly constantly. As the worship leader/planner I am confronted with it on a weekly if not daily basis. Here are a couple observations.
First, while Stoogelover makes a good point, (now there’s a fun sentence to write), his rhetorical question actually has an answer. the answer is, you do it because you have to serve the people who are already here while you try to grow. A minister’s work is not merely to bring new people in, but to help those already in the flock. If you’ve been doing something one way and it is not working to serve one goal, before you cast it aside, you have to consider whether it is serving other goals that will go unserved by the change. In other words, maybe the way it has always been won’t lead to growth, but maybe it is what is keeping the current sheep in the coral…so to speak. I’m not saying that is a reason to never change, just a factor to consider.
Second, I believe more and more that Church is an important sanctuary for many people and keeping things as they’ve been might be an important part of their spiritual life. Maybe that’s not the way it “should†be, but I’m not to sure about that. Again, not a reason to never change, just a factor.
Personally, I would love to see the changes in our Churches be less about adding a praise team or singing new songs or starting small group studies (all of which I like) and more about changing our focus away from being primarily concerned with formal congregational worship and more about meeting the basic physical, emotional and spiritual needs of our community. That kind of change would ruffle feathers like any other kind, but I could get a whole lot more fired up about defending that kind of change than the kind of changes we tend to make.
August 24th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
I think that’s why the ICING changes are so controversial. Partly because we’ve been frosting the wrong cake. Partly because we’ve not spent enough time baking the cake.
August 24th, 2006 at 3:45 pm
Personally, I prefer carrot cake!
August 25th, 2006 at 6:34 am
“mmmmmmmm, cheese, Grommit!”
May we all be a little more like Wallace & learn to go with the flow.
August 25th, 2006 at 11:24 am
Stoogelover, please see my food rules regarding carrot cake.
August 25th, 2006 at 1:55 pm
Stumptown: I’ve seen your food rules and agree with all of them except for the carrot cake.