When I moved the cheese

Years ago, back in my in-house days, I delivered a senior leadership conference themed around the bestseller Who Moved My Cheese? If you remember the book, you’ll know it’s all about navigating change and transformation.

We went all-in on the creative. The venue was dressed with giant foam cheese blocks on the tables, “cheese trail” signage on the walls, and more than a few cheesy puns in the slides. It was fun. People laughed, played along, and remembered the theme.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: while the event was memorable, I’m not sure it made much of a difference.

Looking back, the conference was showy. It ticked the boxes for creativity and impact and it was fun to put together, but it was all about the visible layer of communication — the event, the theme, the props. What it didn’t really do was build lasting understanding or shift behaviours. Leaders walked away entertained, but did they walk away equipped to lead their people through change? Probably not as much as we hoped.

That realisation has stayed with me.Because here’s the thing: real transformation doesn’t happen because you put fake cheese on a table. It happens when people feel listened to. When leaders engage in honest dialogue. When employees understand not just what’s changing, but why it matters to them — and crucially, when they can voice their fears and hopes along the way.

If I were designing that same conference today, it would look very different. Fewer gimmicks, more conversations. Less time spent dressing the room, more time equipping leaders with the tools, confidence and empathy to support their teams through change. I’d be asking: how do we make this a meaningful experience for leaders, not just a memorable event? And that’s the big difference between the communicator I was then, and the communicator I try to be now.

Today, my focus is far less on theatre and far more on trust. Less on “what will get noticed” and more on “what will help people feel supported and capable.” It’s the invisible scaffolding that matters — the clarity, the listening, the follow-through after the big event is over.

This is at the heart of what Emma and I argue in People-First Internal Communication. Old-school comms often stop at the surface — the campaign, the slogan, the props. People-first comms go deeper. They’re designed around human needs, emotions and behaviours. They create shared meaning, not just shared slides.

Looking back, I still smile at those big yellow cheese blocks. They were a product of their time. But these days, I’d design the experience differently. Because in the end, the best internal communication isn’t about moving the cheese. It’s about moving people.