What is it?

This is a 2-hour workshop that helps teams navigate change using the framework from Spencer Johnson's "Who Moved My Cheese?" Participants explore four distinct responses to change through the characters of Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw, identify their own patterns, and develop practical strategies for moving forward when circumstances shift. The workshop creates space for honest conversation about resistance, fear, and denial while equipping teams with shared language and concrete actions for adapting together.

Why is it useful?

Change is hard, and most teams don't talk openly about how they're actually responding to it. Some people spot change early and adapt. Others deny it's happening or wait too long to move. This workshop gives teams a safe, non-judgmental framework for discussing these different responses. Participants leave understanding their own tendencies, recognising what's happening with colleagues, and holding specific commitments for taking action rather than staying stuck. The shared vocabulary from the book's characters makes ongoing conversations about change easier and less personal.

Target Audience

• Teams in the middle of organisational restructuring
• Groups facing new leadership, systems, or processes
• Departments affected by mergers, acquisitions, or significant strategy shifts
• Teams where morale has dropped due to uncertainty
• Leaders wanting to help their people move through change faster
• Any group where some members are adapting while others are stuck

Workshop Objectives

• Understand the four different responses to change and their consequences
• Identify personal patterns and tendencies when facing change
• Recognise the signs of getting stuck and strategies for moving forward
• Build team agreements for supporting each other through the current change
• Create individual action plans for adapting to specific changes underway

Summary

Duration: 120 mins
Group Size: 8-16 people
Format: In-person, highly interactive

Materials Needed

• Flip chart paper and markers (at least 6 sheets)
• Sticky notes (four colours if possible, otherwise two colours, 10 per person)
• A4 paper for each participant
• Pens for each participant
• Four printed character cards (Sniff, Scurry, Hem, Haw) large enough to post on walls
• Printed handout: Character Overview (one per person)
• Printed handout: Personal Change Map (one per person)
• Printed handout: Action Planning Guide (one per person)
• Timer visible to participants
• Blu-tack or tape for posting materials
• Optional: small pieces of cheese (real or foam/toy) as visual props

Process

Step 1: The Cheese Has Moved (10 mins)

Goal: Surface the specific changes participants are experiencing and acknowledge the reality that things have shifted.

Activity:

1. Welcome the group and explain that this workshop is about how we respond to change. Not how we should respond in theory, but how we actually respond in practice.
2. On a flip chart, draw a simple maze with "Old Cheese" on one side and "?" on the other. Explain: "Something has changed. The cheese has moved. Today we're going to talk honestly about what that means and how we're handling it."
3. Ask participants to take 2 minutes to write down on paper: What is the "cheese" that has moved for you? What specific change are you dealing with right now? This could be the same change affecting the whole team or something personal.
4. In pairs, share briefly what change you're facing. Not the full story, just naming it. Allow 3 minutes.
5. Bring the group back. Ask for volunteers to name (in a few words) the changes represented in the room. Capture these on the flip chart. Acknowledge the reality: "This is what we're dealing with."

Debrief Questions:

• What was it like to name the change out loud?
• Did anyone notice similarities in what people are facing?
• How long have you known the cheese was moving?
• What have you been doing about it so far?

Step 2: Meet the Characters (15 mins)

Goal: Introduce the four characters and their different responses to change as a framework for understanding behaviour.

Activity:

1. Post the four character cards in different corners of the room. Explain that you're going to introduce four characters from a story about change.
2. Walk to each corner and introduce each character:
   • Sniff: Sniffs out change early. Notices the cheese is getting old before it disappears. Doesn't overthink, just pays attention to what's happening.
   • Scurry: Takes action immediately when change happens. Doesn't waste time analysing or complaining. Just gets moving to find new cheese.
   • Hem: Denies the change is happening. Gets angry. Blames others. Waits for the old cheese to come back. Believes it's unfair and refuses to move.
   • Haw: Initially resists like Hem, but eventually realises waiting won't work. Overcomes fear, laughs at himself, and ventures into the maze. Learns and adapts along the way.
3. Distribute the Character Overview handout. Give participants 3 minutes to read through the descriptions and mark which character they most identify with right now regarding the change they named in Step 1.
4. Ask participants to physically move to the corner representing the character they most resemble at this moment. No judgment. Be honest.
5. Once grouped, have each corner discuss for 3 minutes: Why did you choose this character? What does this response look like for you in practice?
6. Bring everyone back to their seats.

Debrief Questions:

• What was it like to publicly choose a character?
• Did anyone feel pulled between two characters?
• What did you notice about where people in this team ended up?
• Is this where you typically are with change, or is it specific to this situation?

Step 3: The Cost of Staying (20 mins)

Goal: Help participants honestly assess what their current response to change is costing them and the team.

Activity:

1. Explain that every response to change has consequences. Sniff and Scurry find new cheese quickly but might miss important analysis. Hem stays stuck and hungry. Haw wastes time but eventually adapts.
2. Distribute the Personal Change Map handout. Walk through the sections:
   • The change I'm facing
   • My current response (which character am I being?)
   • What this response is costing me
   • What this response might be costing the team
   • What I'm afraid of if I move
3. Give participants 8 minutes to complete the map individually. Emphasise that honest answers are more useful than comfortable ones.
4. In groups of 3, share your Personal Change Map. Focus especially on "what this response is costing me" and "what I'm afraid of." Allow 8 minutes. Listeners should not give advice, just listen and acknowledge.
5. Bring the group back together. Without asking people to share personal details, ask: "What themes did you notice about what staying stuck costs us?"

Debrief Questions:

• What was hardest to write down?
• Did naming the cost make it feel more real?
• What fears came up about moving forward?
• How are our individual responses affecting the team as a whole?

Step 4: The Handwriting on the Wall (15 mins)

Goal: Explore the insights Haw discovered during his journey and identify which ones resonate most with the group.

Activity:

1. Explain that in the story, as Haw ventures into the maze, he writes messages on the wall to remind himself what he's learning. These become principles for navigating change.
2. On flip charts around the room, write out seven key messages (one per sheet):
   • "Change happens. They keep moving the cheese."
   • "Anticipate change. Get ready for the cheese to move."
   • "Monitor change. Smell the cheese often so you know when it's getting old."
   • "Adapt to change quickly. The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new cheese."
   • "Change. Move with the cheese."
   • "Enjoy change. Savour the adventure and enjoy the taste of new cheese."
   • "Be ready to change quickly and enjoy it again. They keep moving the cheese."
3. Give each participant 3 sticky notes. Ask them to place their notes on the 3 messages that feel most important for them right now. They can put multiple notes on the same message if it feels strongly relevant.
4. Once voting is complete, review the results as a group. Identify the top 3-4 messages that received the most votes.
5. For each top message, ask: "Why do you think this one resonated? What would it look like to actually live this principle?"

Debrief Questions:

• Which message was hardest to accept?
• Which message would have been most useful six months ago?
• Are there any messages the team needs to hear that individuals might resist?
• How could these messages become part of how we talk about change going forward?

Step 5: What Would Sniff and Scurry Do? (15 mins)

Goal: Generate practical strategies by thinking through how the adaptive characters would approach the team's specific situation.

Activity:

1. Explain that Sniff and Scurry don't get stuck because they don't overthink. They notice and act. This exercise borrows their perspective.
2. Divide into groups of 4-5. Give each group a flip chart and markers.
3. Ask groups to discuss and capture: "If Sniff and Scurry were facing our team's specific change, what would they do? What would they notice? What action would they take this week?"
4. Allow 8 minutes for discussion and capturing ideas.
5. Each group presents their flip chart in 2 minutes. Capture common themes and standout ideas.
6. As a full group, identify 2-3 specific actions from the discussion that the team could actually take. These should be concrete, achievable within the next two weeks.

Debrief Questions:

• What's stopping us from doing what Sniff and Scurry would do?
• Which of these ideas feels most uncomfortable?
• What would have to be true for us to take this action?
• Is there anything Sniff and Scurry would miss by moving so fast?

Step 6: Moving Through Fear (15 mins)

Goal: Address the fear that keeps people stuck and develop personal strategies for taking action despite fear.

Activity:

1. Acknowledge that Haw's journey wasn't fearless. He was scared. He just decided to move anyway. The insight was: "What would you do if you weren't afraid?"
2. Ask participants to return to their Personal Change Map and look at what they wrote under "What I'm afraid of if I move."
3. On a fresh piece of paper, ask them to write at the top: "What would I do if I weren't afraid?" Give 3 minutes to write freely about what action they would take.
4. In pairs (different partners than before), share your answers. Then help each other identify: What is one small version of this action you could take this week? Something small enough to not be paralysing, but real enough to be meaningful.
5. Each person writes down their one small action.
6. Go around the room. Each person shares their "if I weren't afraid" action and their small first step. Keep this moving.

Debrief Questions:

• How did it feel to imagine acting without fear?
• What makes the small step feel more achievable?
• What support would help you take this step?
• What's the worst that could realistically happen if you took this action?

Step 7: Team Agreements for Change (10 mins)

Goal: Create shared commitments for how the team will support each other through this change.

Activity:

1. Explain that individual action matters, but teams navigate change better when they agree on how to support each other.
2. On a flip chart, write: "When the cheese moves, we agree to..."
3. Facilitate a group discussion to complete this sentence with 4-5 specific agreements. Push for concrete behaviours, not vague intentions. Examples:
   • "Tell each other when we notice the cheese getting old, even if it's uncomfortable"
   • "Not judge someone for being in Hem mode, but also not leave them there"
   • "Celebrate people who try new things, even if they don't work out"
   • "Ask 'what would you do if you weren't afraid?' when someone is stuck"
4. Once 4-5 agreements are captured, read them back. Ask: "Can we commit to these?" Make adjustments if needed.
5. Have each person initial the flip chart as a sign of commitment.

Debrief Questions:

• Which agreement will be hardest to keep?
• How will we remind each other of these when things get hard?
• What should we do if someone breaks an agreement?
• When will we revisit these agreements to see if they're working?

Step 8: Action Planning and Close (20 mins)

Goal: Lock in individual commitments and close with clear next steps.

Activity:

1. Distribute the Action Planning Guide handout. Walk through the sections:
   • The specific change I'm addressing
   • My current character (Sniff, Scurry, Hem, or Haw)
   • The character I want to be
   • One action I will take this week
   • What I will do when fear shows up
   • Who will hold me accountable
2. Give participants 8 minutes to complete the guide.
3. In pairs, share your action plan. Partners should ask one clarifying question and offer one piece of encouragement. Exchange contact information if you don't already have it. Agree on a specific check-in time within the next week.
4. Go around the room for a final share. Each person completes: "This week I will _____________ because the cheese has moved and I'm choosing to move with it."
5. Close by reminding the group of the core message: The cheese will keep moving. That's not a problem to solve. It's a reality to accept. What matters is how quickly we notice, how honestly we respond, and how we support each other along the way.

Debrief Questions:

• How do you feel compared to when we started?
• What's one thing you'll remember from today when you're feeling stuck?
• How can you use the character language with each other going forward?
• What will you do if you find yourself being Hem next week?

Secret Sauce

• Acknowledge real change: This workshop works best when there's an actual change happening. If the team isn't facing real change, the exercises will feel abstract. Check with the sponsor beforehand that there's genuine cheese that has moved.
• Don't shame the Hems: Some participants will identify as Hem, and that's honest. The goal isn't to make them feel bad; it's to help them see the cost and find a path forward. Praise honesty, not just action.
• Watch for emotional responses: Change often involves loss. Some participants may have grief, anger, or fear that surfaces during the mapping exercise. Acknowledge these feelings as valid without turning the workshop into therapy.
• The character corners can feel exposing: Some people will hesitate to stand in the Hem corner. Make it safe by sharing your own tendencies first, or by emphasising that most people have been Hem at some point.
• Push for specificity in team agreements: Vague agreements like "support each other" don't change behaviour. Keep asking "what does that look like specifically?" until you get to concrete actions.
• The fear conversation is the heart of the workshop: Step 6 is where real change happens. Don't rush it. The question "what would you do if you weren't afraid?" is simple but powerful. Give it space.
• Use the character names afterward: Encourage the team to use Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw as shorthand in future conversations. "I'm being Hem about this" is easier to say than "I'm in denial and afraid to act."
• The check-in matters: If participants commit to checking in with a partner, follow-through increases dramatically. Make this non-optional and ensure people exchange contact details.
• Have cheese as props if possible: Small foam cheese pieces or even wrapped cheese snacks can serve as physical reminders. Give everyone a piece to keep at their desk as a visual cue.
• Follow up after the workshop: Send a summary of the team agreements and the wall messages within 24 hours. Schedule a 30-minute team check-in for 2-3 weeks later to revisit progress.