Free Essay

The Fifth Discipline, the Art and Practice of Learning

In: Business and Management

Submitted By rossyappiah
Words 892
Pages 4
According to Senge, learning organizations are organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results that they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free and where people are continually learning to see the whole together.
The reason behind this is that as the world move to a global stage and become more interconnected, businesses also become complex and for am organization to survive, it should be able to tap into peoples commitment and capacity to learn at all levels in the organization. He says, “The most successful companies of the 1990s will be something called learning organization, the ability to learn faster than your competitors, because through learning, we can re-create ourselves. It is possible to institute learning organizations because man is naturally a learner, from birth, no one teaches you how to walk or run but as we move through life, we learn. Now learning in an organization is more in-depth since man has moved past the traditional perspective of work where work was just a means to an end to a deeper level of self actualization which man will continue to seek until we build work environments that aligns mans higher aspirations beyond food, shelter and clothing.
‘Real learning gets to the heart of what it means to be human. Through learning, we re-create ourselves become able to do something that we never were able to do, perceive the world and our relationship to it and extend our capacity to create to be a part of a generative process of life. For a learning organization, learning should be beyond survival. Though survival (adaptive learning) is a necessary condition, it is not sufficient, combined with generative learning endow us with a creative capacity. The distinguishing features between learning organizations and the traditional Authoritarian “controlling” organization will be the mastery of certain basic disciplines. The first discipline of learning organizations is systems thinking, also the fifth discipline which integrates the other components, fusing them together to be whole. It focuses on our ability to figure out the whole whilst understanding the parts that interrelated to make the whole. Systems thinking is a body of knowledge and tools that make the related patterns lucid. Without systems thinking, you can never relate the other parts to attain the whole. It integrates disciplines of personal mastery, mental model, building shared vision and team learning. Personal Mastery is the continuous effort to increase and deepen our personal aspirations. It extends beyond competence and skills and more of proficiency. Personal mastery is a continuous process of learning; there is no destination for it. People here are very much aware of what they do not know and need to learn to develop, a lifelong discipline. It is a personal vision and the learning organizations spiritual foundation. However, very few organizations encourage members to grow in this discipline and leave mush resources underutilized. The drive and desire with which people enters an organization dies as the age in the organization and do nothing to develop personal mastery.Mental model, the second discipline are firmly established assumptions, generalizations or mental images or pictures of influence our perception and understanding of the world and how we act towards it. Our quest to surface these inner desires and bring them to reality requires learning new skills and developing new orientations. It requires a cognitive change towards basic assumptions in the organization. A third discipline Building shared vision, affirming your vision for the organization has a potential of encouraging innovation and creativity. When everyone is aware of the future aspiration, they are more focused on ways to achieve that vision and people are motivated to excel and learn not because they are told to but because they want to be a part of the vision. Visions get across as people talk about it and as time goes on it becomes clearer and foster enthusiasm to grow. Leaders should share their vision and utilize member’s skills and competencies in achieving it. People then learn to be able to contribute to the vision. Since an organization is a complex entity with different subgroups, learning as a team is very essential, thus the fourth discipline, Team learning. People need to be able to act together. When teams learn together, the author suggests, not only can there be good results for the organization but members will grow more rapidly than could have occurred otherwise. This discipline starts with a dialogue where members are made to leave behind their personal assumptions to be able to belong to a body that thinks together as one. Team learning involves the creation and development of capacities of the team to create a unified desire of the members. Teams are very important because not individuals but teams, divisions, functional units are what makes the organization and they are the fundamental learning units if the enterprise so unless teams can learn, the organization is at a standstill.
Systems thinking integrate all these disciplines as a whole, a key feature of a learning organization. All the discipline can be realized only when there is a mental shift of mind-Metanoia. People are just agents that are able to act upon the entities that they are part of. Learning has a lot to do with a shift of mind.

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Senge Model Analysis

...the author of the management book The Fifth Discipline (1990). Senge Change Management Model Senge’s theoretical framework focuses on delivering organizational change and development through the establishment of a learning organization (Senge 1999). His book, The Fifth Discipline, outlines the five elements of learning that within an organization are all connected. It is a notably different approach to other change management theories as it focuses on the longer-term issues of sustaining and renewing organizational change Cameron and Green 2012.         1. Personal Mastery – Senge (2006 describes Personal Mastery as the undertaking by all within an organization to use all available resources to seek more of what truly matters to them. This requires an organisation to make it safe for people to create visions, where inquiry and commitment to the truth are the norm, and where challenging the status quo is expected Senge 2006. By continually growing an employee’s capacity to create their own future through Personal Mastery, an organisation’s learning will continue Flood 1998. 2. Mental Models – Our mental models are our internally held views on how the world operates based on key assumptions about the outcome Senge 1992. In seeking to establish a new organizational structure, if an organisation’s or individual’s mental model is at odds with what the new insights need to be, the new structure will often fail Senge 1992. The discipline of mental models encourages individuals...

Words: 1251 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Peter Senge and the Learning Organization

...[pic]   | |peter senge and the learning organization | | | |Peter Senge’s vision of a learning organization as a group of people who are | | | | |continually enhancing their capabilities to create what they want to create has been | | | | |deeply influential. We discuss the five disciplines he sees as central to learning | | | | |organizations and some issues and questions concerning the theory and practice of | | | | |learning organizations.  | | | | | | | | |contents: introduction | peter senge | the learning organization | systems thinking – the cornerstone of the | | | |learning organization | the core disciplines | leading the learning organization | issues and problems | | | | |conclusion | further reading and references | links | | | |Peter M. Senge (1947- ) was named a ‘Strategist of the Century’ by the Journal of Business...

Words: 6684 - Pages: 27

Free Essay

Learning Organizations - Fad or Future

...Learning Organizations: Fad or Future? By Marty Jacobs Published in the September 2007 Issue of Vermont Business Magazine When Peter Senge’s book, The Fifth Discipline was first published in 1990, the term “learning organization” joined the business lexicon. Senge was able to distill years of research and practice in the field of organization development into a clear and concise theory for creating profound organizational change. So, are learning organizations the wave of the future or will the theory fall by the wayside like so many other business and management fads (management by objectives, reengineering, etc.)? The answer to that question is a resounding, “It depends.” It depends on an organization’s willingness to commit the time and energy to changing its behavior. Before delving into the area of changing organizational behavior, however, let’s first define a learning organization. Learning organizations are those that are able to integrate the following five disciplines: • • Personal mastery: Personal mastery is the ability to continually clarify and deepen personal vision, focus energies, develop patience, and see reality objectively. Mental models: Mental models are deeply ingrained assumptions or generalizations that influence how we understand the world and how we take action. Working with mental models involves surfacing and examining organizational assumptions, in order to understand organizational systems better and to develop more effective solutions. Building...

Words: 902 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

From the Balcony

...Instructor: Dr. Ellen Kaye I really desire to put into practice what I have learned from Leadership in the 21st Century college course. I have a deep desire for my organization to become a true learning organization. The irony to my desire is that my organization is involved in education of children kindergarten through twelfth grade. I have set up learning environments in my organization, but not based on the art and practice of learning organizations. The trainings were designed to meet an immediate need based on a lack of knowledge or experience. Currently, we have five different levels of training based on time on the job or position. Peter Senge, in an obscure little sentence in his book, says, “ To be a true teacher, you must be a learner first” (Senge, 1990. 2006, p. 332). He adds that the teacher’s passion for learning inspires their students. He further insists that managers, which I will translate to organizational leaders, must commit to be practitioners, not just “advocates” or preachers. My goal therefore is to use the theory from Peter Senge and apply it to my organization. The challenge is to take the theory and put into practice. Senge’s five key disciplines are mental models, shared vision, team learning, personal mastery, and systems thinking. Senge believes that the five disciplines converge to create new waves of experimentation and advancement, and hopefully, “learning organizations.” A learning organization is not one where the members of an organization...

Words: 1571 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

The Learning Organization

...Literature Review of the Learning Organization The concept of the learning organization is something that all organizations today must use to be able to adapt to today’s every changing environment. Learning organizations tend to have a flat, decentralized organizational structure (Argyris, 1999). There are five components that make up the learning organization: personal mastery, systems thinking, mental models, building shared vision and team learning. The key to becoming a learning organization is to expand our capacity to new ways and patterns of thinking and to continue learning and cultivating new ways of thinking and problem solving. To reap the benefits of the learning concept, organizations must be adaptable and flexible. Senge defines the learning organization as “organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free and where people are continually learning how to learn together” (Senge, 2006, p. 3). Personal Mastery Personal mastery is the first principle and is one of the keys to the learning organization. We must be fully committed to the continual learning process. Personal mastery is something that cannot just be practiced occasionally but has to be practiced daily. Personal mastery defined by Peter M. Senge is the discipline of continually clarifying and deepening our personal vision, of focusing our energies, of developing...

Words: 4253 - Pages: 18

Premium Essay

Google Case Analysis

...Google Case Peter Senge’s five disciplines are: shared vision, mental models, personal mastery, team learning and systems thinking. As a Google employee, I would use these disciplines to understand the entry into the Chinese market. Google released a public letter stating, “…We aspire to make Google an institution that makes the world a better place” (Argenti, Page 19). Peter Senge’s first discipline, Shared Vision can be used to understand the changing environment at Google during the timeframe of the article. The majority of Google employees are doers, not decision makers, so they have to go along with any changes in the company’s direction or move to another company. The executives made the decision that it would be better to do business in China since the service would be better than anything currently available even if it was not as open as the US version. I’m not sure how many employees knew that “Do no evil” was followed by “Do nothing illegal” but the executives and corporate attorneys understood this and made the decision. At this point it is up to employees to determine for themselves if this supports their values and beliefs or if it’s time for them to look elsewhere for work. Team Learning and Systems Thinking can be used to assess the major events influencing the changes. Teams can be formed at and below the executive level to analyze internal and external events and predict what effects these will have on the corporate culture, business model and profits...

Words: 741 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

What Is a Learning Organization

...What is a Learning Organization? by Moya K. Mason Introduction Learning organizations are not simply the most fashionable or current management trend, they can provide work environments that are open to creative thought, and embrace the concept that solutions to ongoing work-related problems are available inside each and every one of us. All we must do is tap into the knowledge base, which gives us the "ability to think critically and creatively, the ability to communicate ideas and concepts, and the ability to cooperate with other human beings in the process of inquiry and action (Navran Associates Newsletter 1993). A learning organization is one that seeks to create its own future; that assumes learning is an ongoing and creative process for its members; and one that develops, adapts, and transforms itself in response to the needs and aspirations of people, both inside and outside itself ( Navran Associates Newsletter 1993). What learning organizations do is set us free because employees no longer have to be passive players in the equation; they will learn to express ideas and challenge themselves to contribute to an improved work environment by participating in a paradigm shift from the traditional authoritarian workplace philosophy to one where the hierarchy is broken down, and human potential is heralded. Learning organizations foster an environment wherein people can "create the results they truly desire," and where they can learn to learn together...

Words: 1786 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Organizational Learning

...Organizational Learning has become an important theory in the development of leadership and organizational growth. There are many works available on the topic but Peter M. Senge’s book “The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization” is held as the foremost organizational learning concept that others have built upon. In 1990, Senge outlined the five disciplines as follows: 1. System Thinking: is the conceptual framework where organizations see the total picture to make effective change. It is considered the cornerstone of the disciplines. 2. Personal Mastery: is dependent on the commitment of the organization’s members to effect change so the organization may learn. 3. Mental Models: exposes the biases that we carry with us, which we may be unaware of. In order to learn and change it is necessary to “turn the mirror inward.” It opens the member to “learningful” conversations and other’s input. 4. Building Shared Vision: this is the shared commitment of the future goals of the organization. The key component of this discipline is that the vision is shared by the stakeholders and not dictated by the organization. 5. Team Learning: this is the foundation to the organization’s ability to thrive. It is a vital component of modern organizations as the learning unit is the team, as opposed to the individual. The teams must learn so the organization may learn. Senge defined his framework as disciplines because he considered them a practice with each...

Words: 1828 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Termpaper

...The assigned chapter for the week in the Northouse text proved a timely resource in the topic of introducing and maintaining leadership development in the organization. According to Northouse (2010), the psychodynamic approach to leadership emphasizes the importance of the leader, and follower I might add, becoming aware of their personality types and their implications on work and relationships. One cannot improve what one does not work on. This takes intentional effort. Especially as the landscape of the organization and subsequently, leadership has changed in recent times. Macoby (2007) argues for the notion of social character as a way of looking at leadership in terms of the psychology of followers. He defines social character as "macro personality based on the emotional attitudes and values shared by people in a certain context." Maccoby (2007) contends that there has been a shift in the social character of our times which has resulted in movement away from an industrial economy to a knowledge-based one. Here, formal hierarchical organizations are giving way to networks, collaborations and more of a horizontal structure. Persons in organizations today no longer want to be mere followers but collaborators in a joint effort between leaders and "what were once followers" (Northouse). They favor continual improvement and creativity as opposed to stability. Given the mindset change and expectation as regards leadership and the organization, the only logical conclusion is to...

Words: 860 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Research

...Senge's learning organization theory- THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK peter senge and the learning organization Peter Senge’s vision of a learning organization as a group of people who are continually enhancing their capabilities to create what they want to create has been deeply influential. We discuss the five disciplines he sees as central to learning organizations and some issues and questions concerning the theory and practice of learning organizations.  contents: introduction · peter senge · the learning organization · systems thinking – the cornerstone of the learning organization · the core disciplines · leading the learning organization · issues and problems · conclusion · further reading and references · links Peter M. Senge (1947- ) was named a ‘Strategist of the Century’ by the Journal of Business Strategy, one of 24 men and women who have ‘had the greatest impact on the way we conduct business today’ (September/October 1999). While he has studied how firms and organizations develop adaptive capabilities for many years at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), it was Peter Senge’s 1990 book The Fifth Discipline that brought him firmly into the limelight and popularized the concept of the ‘learning organization'. Since its publication, more than a million copies have been sold and in 1997, Harvard Business Review identified it as one of the seminal management books of the past 75 years. On this page we explore Peter Senge’s vision of the learning organization. We will...

Words: 8891 - Pages: 36

Premium Essay

The Paratox

...Leading Ideas: Revisiting the Abilene Paradox: Is Management of Agreement Still an Issue? | |by Kathryn J. Deiss, ARL Office of Leadership and Management Services Program Manager In 1974, Professor Jerry Harvey of George Washington University developed a parable from a real-life experience to describe the issues surrounding how individuals reach agreement, or, more specifically, believe they have reached agreement. Twenty-five years later the lessons and insights his parable generates are still valid and provocative for organizations and the individuals who work together in those organizations. The Parable of the Abilene Paradox1 Four adults are sitting on a porch in 104-degree heat in the small town of Coleman, Texas, some 53 miles from Abilene. They are engaging in as little motion as possible, drinking lemonade, watching the fan spin lazily, and occasionally playing the odd game of dominoes. The characters are a married couple and the wife’s parents. At some point, the wife’s father suggests they drive to Abilene to eat at a cafeteria there. The son-in-law thinks this is a crazy idea but doesn’t see any need to upset the apple cart, so he goes along with it, as do the two women. They get in their unair-conditioned Buick and drive through a dust storm to Abilene. They eat a mediocre lunch at the cafeteria and return to Coleman exhausted, hot, and generally unhappy with the experience. It is not until they return home that it is revealed that none of them really wanted...

Words: 2054 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Theory and Practice of Organizational Learning

...Theory and Practice of Organizational Learning Teresa Friskney Strayer University   Theory and Practice of Organizational Learning Organizational learning explores ways to design organizations so that they carry out their function successfully, encourage people to reach their full potential, and, at the same time, help the world to be a better place. Learning organizations are organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to see the whole together (Smith, 2001). However, there seems no clear definition of organizational learning except for the fact that it is learning, in one form or another. “Organizational learning is a flexible concept spanning a number of disciplines and perspectives so that it is now impossible to capture with a single definition” (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007, p. 43). For the purpose of this paper, the following information concerns only three characteristics of a successful learning organization. Discussion concerns systems thinking, shared vision, and team learning. In order to understand systems thinking, one must define it as a group of interacting, interrelated, and interdependent components that form a complex and unified whole. For example, a system can be a department in an organization. Each system has a purpose in a larger...

Words: 511 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Consultant

...covering this weekly assignment exerted from the ASU Moodle web site and from some selected books and articles that are listed on the reference page. Also there is a series of case points under examination in the context of this research that are relate to these learning objectives which helps the reader to appreciate how some of today's most respected high-tech companies rose to prominence, then reinvented themselves once or more; to review the evolution of the personal computer industry, to obtain a glimpse of Intel's likely future as well as the future of the semi-conductor industry, and to outline approaches for building "learning organizations and lastly to appreciate the challenge of developing a complex-strategic-integration (CSI) capability through Intel and Apple Inc. case study reviews. Keywords: Innovation challenges in established firms, Intel and Apple Case Studies, Learning organizations Conclusion: Innovation Challenges in Established Firms Introduction In accordance with the Module 8 reading requirements and the textbook coverage’s from Strategic Management in Technology Innovation, Part Five on pages 1108 -1182. This research document will address specific questions that derived from these learning objectives which will conclude the term’s research on the study of technology and innovation by considering the innovation challenges facing established companies through examining the Apple Computer and Intel case studies. After researching online at various...

Words: 1772 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

The Learning of Philosophy

...In my opinion, the philosophy of a learning organization is an organization that fosters team work, shares a common goal, able to collect, analyzes, and implements best practices to grow the company, and encourages/enable personnel growth. Team work or team learning is the ability of a group to apply each individual’s skill or capabilities to develop a free flowing plan to reach the companies goal. (Senge, 1990, p. 236) An organization should have a common goal to strive to reach. It does not matter if it is to produce the best hammer on the market or making the clients the most money for their investment. The goal should focus on the end product of the company to be the best in the market. To reach these goals the company should have to be able to collect, analyzes, and implements best practices to grow the company. However when performing this process one must look at the whole system of the company and not just the short term results. (Aronson, 1196, p. 1) This is different than systems theory because it not only uses testable outcomes and logical formulas but also looks at the big picture. It takes into account internal and external factors that affect the learning process of complex problems. The second, third, and fourth order effects must be considered. Also, the company should encourage personnel growth of the employees. If employees are not trying to improve their understanding of processes, interpersonal skills, and technology then they will not master the proficiency...

Words: 699 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

A Response to Senge's Ideas About Learning Organizations and Leadership

...A Response to Senge's Ideas about Learning Organizations and Leadership Extracted from the article "Peter Senge and the Learning Organization" Smith, M. K. (2001) 'Peter Senge and the learning organization', the encyclopedia of informal education, www.infed.org/thinkers/senge.htm Issues and problems When making judgments about Peter Senge's work, and the ideas he promotes, we need to place his contribution in context. His is not meant to be a definitive addition to the 'academic' literature of organizational learning. Peter Senge writes for practicing and aspiring managers and leaders. The concern is to identify how interventions can be made to turn organizations into 'learning organizations'. Much of his, and similar theorists' efforts, have been 'devoted to identifying templates, which real organizations could attempt to emulate' (Easterby-Smith and Araujo 1999: 2). In this field some of the significant contributions have been based around studies of organizational practice, others have 'relied more on theoretical principles, such as systems dynamics or psychological learning theory, from which implications for design and implementation have been derived' (op. cU.). Peter Senge, while making use of individual case studies, tends to the latter orientation. The most appropriate question in respect of this contribution would seem to be whether it fosters praxis - informed, committed action on the part of those it is aimed at? This is an especially pertinent question as...

Words: 2207 - Pages: 9