The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization
by Peter Senge
(Doubleday, 1990)

A recent article in an area newspaper was entitled "One good idea from a book is worth the investment."

In 1990, the book The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization by Peter Senge was published. (Doubleday, New York, August, 1990). It would be impossible to trace the number of good ideas and understandings that have been dispersed throughout the world of organizational development from Senge’s work. The book, in fact, has become a reference for those seeking to move away from the mechanistic thinking that has permeated institutions, businesses, and organizations with compartmentalized and hierarchical structures.

Peter Senge urges moving to systems thinking, which focuses on the whole and the interdependency of all parts — despite position or rank. The book's emphasis on systemic thinking is based on the need to successfully respond and deal with the constant, rapid change infusing all facets of life in this information age. Senge, of MIT, draws upon knowledge from science, psychology, spiritual wisdom, and organizational development to hone his ideas.

The Fifth Discipline: The Art and practice of the Learning Organization is organized around an "ensemble" of five disciplines, which — when practiced together — make the transformation to systems possible. Systems thinking, which is the fifth discipline, integrates "building shared vision," "examining mental models," "team learning," and "developing personal mastery." When these disciplines are engaged, a learning organization begins to build.

"At the heart of the learning organization — is a shift of mind — from seeing ourselves as separate from the world to connected to the world, from seeing problems as caused by someone or something 'out there' to seeing how our own actions create the problems we experience. A learning organization is a place where people are continually discovering how they create their reality. And how they can change it." (from The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, pages 12-13).

This idea of a "learning organization" makes the investment in the Fifth Discipline extremely worthwhile. This concept has convinced many leaders that the organizations in which they are involved do not learn well and do not effectively retain what people have learned. Information that makes a difference does not flow throughout the organization, but gets trapped by compartments operating as if they were disconnected from the rest of the organization.

The study of systems does not permeate most churches and non-profit organizations with which I have been involved. In fact, there seems to be a suspicion that systems thinking is out of place. With the heavy turnover of leadership in these places, the difficulties of becoming a learning organization are exacerbated. As Senge established in his seminal writing, however, it is the learning organization, made up of lifelong learning leaders, that will make the difference in the ability to deal with the changes encompassing all organizations and that will bring sustainability to their mission.

The Fifth Discipline will continue to be relevant to leaders ready to embrace change. It and its companion The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook point the way for organizations to find new meaning and effective ways to become learning organizations, fulfilling their missions in changing times.

(originally posted October 3, 2000)

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