| Ok, I read it, me and at least a million | | | | seventies and mess around with our very |
| other people, maybe even you. Who Moved My | | | | affordable (upper twenties to mid-thirties) |
| Cheese? by Spencer Johnson is a wildly | | | | cents a gallon price for gasoline.It was just |
| successful little book about change in life | | | | about then that the US automobile makers |
| and in business. It's a parable about two | | | | really started to run around trying to figure |
| mice and two little people whose cheese is no | | | | out not only who moved their cheese but also |
| longer in the usual place and how they handle | | | | who threw a large portion of it away. In the |
| the enormous adjustments it | | | | mean time, the Japanese and Germans were |
| brings.Hmmm........interesting. How many of | | | | having our cheese and eating it |
| us have had our cheese moved right in the | | | | too.Incredible, out of what seemed to be |
| middle of enjoying it? Well, if you have than | | | | nowhere, a change occurred that altered the |
| you know that perhaps you should have seen it | | | | way we buy one of our most basic "needs" |
| coming. Change can be a lot easier to deal | | | | forever. Why? Because someone didn't wait for |
| with if you take time to check out the | | | | their "cheese to be moved" but decided to |
| landscape on a continuous basis before the | | | | create something totally out of the "cheese |
| change actually occurs.Years ago, American | | | | box" (a phrase from a bye-gone era) and put a |
| automobile manufacturers had this country all | | | | plan in place to follow their strategy |
| to themselves. I'm sure, as the corporate | | | | through.While "Who Moved My Cheese" was a |
| organizations they were, they had no inkling | | | | delightful story, we all know that successful |
| that over the horizon the Japanese and | | | | business is more about creating change then |
| Germans were getting ready to take over a | | | | reacting to it. Too often by the time the |
| major share of the market. Certainly, some | | | | reaction happens, it's too late at worst or |
| individuals within the "Big Three" knew | | | | brings far less than the return you desired |
| something was up, but the entities as a whole | | | | at best.The competition that exists in |
| felt that they were secure.If only the | | | | today's market can be overwhelming. The edge |
| Americans would have taken the time to | | | | goes to the people who analyze the market on |
| understand that their cheese could be moved | | | | a continuous basis, plan for a future that |
| in the future, and not have waited for the | | | | may not be evident, have brainstorming |
| event to happen (as all our little friends in | | | | sessions, think creatively, stay open minded |
| the book did).We now know that General | | | | and non-judgmental, put strategies and |
| Motors, Ford and Chrysler had their heads | | | | implementation procedures together, and look |
| handed to them by the overseas competition | | | | over the horizon to see who's coming.It |
| and the market has never been the same.Geez | | | | wasn't that long ago that we drove DeSotos |
| (or should I say Cheese), what the heck | | | | and Hudsons, used mimeograph machines and |
| happened?It was an amazing phenomenon to | | | | actually mailed all our correspondence, even |
| watch. If you are old enough to remember, | | | | the urgent stuff, spoke only over "regular" |
| when the first Japanese cars were imported | | | | phones, and the only screens we looked at |
| here decades ago, they looked somewhat like | | | | were the ones on our TVs and in the movie |
| Nash Metropolitans (a small car of substance, | | | | theaters.Waiting for change in business can |
| made by a small US manufacturer) without the | | | | and often is deadly. Do not wait for your |
| substance. I recall thinking how much they | | | | cheese to be moved. Don't even worry about |
| reminded me of the toy cars I played with | | | | the cheese. Spend some time inventing a |
| when I was a little boy, that were also made | | | | cheese alternative! Make sure it tastes |
| in Japan, and wondering if they were held | | | | great. Test it on a couple of focus groups. |
| together by the same method, a slot in which | | | | Give it a great name, with a super package. |
| a tab of metal was inserted and then bent | | | | Set up a comprehensive distribution network. |
| over to hold the pieces in place. I'm sure | | | | Put a dynamite promotion together. Place some |
| the American auto giants weren't threatened | | | | targeted advertising, marketing and PR. And |
| at all.We drove along getting our ten to | | | | catch the cheese industry sleeping!All this |
| twelve miles per gallon and were quite | | | | food talk is making me hungry.Let me |
| content. Of course we didn't know any | | | | see....maybe I'll have some cereal, with soy |
| better!What were the American car designers | | | | milk of course!Dan Goldberg, MBA, is |
| thinking? Were they all asleep at the | | | | President of Dan Goldberg Consulting L.L.C. a |
| wheel?It didn't take long for our Japanese | | | | training, coaching and business development |
| and German friends to see that they had an | | | | firm located in the Philadelphia, PA area. He |
| opening. And they went for it with a passion | | | | is the founder and former owner of "For Eyes" |
| that wasn't happening in Detroit. Hey, they | | | | the highly successful international optical |
| definitely were not going to wait for their | | | | company and an internationally recognized |
| cheese to be moved. They were too busy | | | | keynote speaker. Dan is the author of the |
| planning to move ours!They started by | | | | book "Stand Back A Second, Just don't fall |
| studying the American market. They made | | | | off the edge," and of "The Six Steps To Solid |
| changes to their cars more rapidly than the | | | | Sales Success" and "The Seven Elements Of |
| Americans manufacturers did. They created a | | | | Successful Management" programs. He is |
| look that we hadn't seen before and promoted | | | | Executive-In-Residence at Kutztown University |
| it in new ways. And on top of all that, their | | | | and has been the subject of stories in |
| cars got gas mileage that the general public | | | | Newsweek, Business Week, Playboy, Successful |
| didn't know existed. Wait a second.....you | | | | Business, Investor's Business Daily, major |
| mean we can get more than twelve miles to the | | | | newspapers in New York, Philadelphia, |
| gallon?! And it's good lookin' too!From the | | | | Washington, D.C., Boston, Baltimore, Miami, |
| original Volkswagen Beetle to the Datsun | | | | San Francisco, Oakland, St. Louis, Chicago, |
| 280Z, Americans, especially on the East and | | | | Los Angeles and many other national and local |
| West Coasts, were starting to fall in love | | | | publications. In addition, Dan has appeared |
| with their imports. And then the stuff hit | | | | on Good Morning America and other national |
| the fan! OPEC and their oil company buddies | | | | and local television and radio programs. |
| decided to have some fun in the early | | | | |