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eiron's review against another edition
3.0
A well-written exploration of methods that may be used to overturn habitually followed but flawed managerial techniques. Some of the illustrations were a little unclear, but I suspect that is more of an indictment of the reader.
jurgenappelo's review against another edition
3.0
Good ideas, but far too much stories and quasi-philosophical fluff. Could have been edited to one third of its size.
marypetersonbennett's review against another edition
important book. I often quote it.
cmcarr's review against another edition
3.0
This book has been on my bookshelf for years to read as professional development, but I haven't gotten around to it until now. As I say with nearly every non-fiction business book, this book managed to say in 400 pages what should have taken about 100.
There are some really helpful concepts here--particularly the part on systems thinking and the various system archetypes. I think the appendix on those will be really useful going forward. There is also a lot of good information about mental models and communication on teams. Most of the concepts are familiar from my work and teaching, and I think I would have struggled to understand them in the book had I not already had experience with them. Part of that may just be the difference between reading about something and applying it in practice. However, I think it could have been communicated more clearly.
The clarity of presentation is my major criticism of the book. I was 200 pages in and I found myself flipping back to figure out what actually was the 5th discipline, as well as what the other 4 were. I think there could have been more structure to the writing to help guide the reader through the principles.
Nevertheless, these principles of organizational learning seem to apply as much today as when this book was written. There is a lot of really useful information about team communication and performance. Some of the stories, anecdotes and interviews were really useful to see how organizations have been applying the concepts in practice. In my work, I still often get pushback from organizations on dedicating time and resources to these soft skills when there is so much substantive work to be done. This book reinforced the upside-down nature of that thinking.
I'm interested to look at the Fieldbook that complements this book.
There are some really helpful concepts here--particularly the part on systems thinking and the various system archetypes. I think the appendix on those will be really useful going forward. There is also a lot of good information about mental models and communication on teams. Most of the concepts are familiar from my work and teaching, and I think I would have struggled to understand them in the book had I not already had experience with them. Part of that may just be the difference between reading about something and applying it in practice. However, I think it could have been communicated more clearly.
The clarity of presentation is my major criticism of the book. I was 200 pages in and I found myself flipping back to figure out what actually was the 5th discipline, as well as what the other 4 were. I think there could have been more structure to the writing to help guide the reader through the principles.
Nevertheless, these principles of organizational learning seem to apply as much today as when this book was written. There is a lot of really useful information about team communication and performance. Some of the stories, anecdotes and interviews were really useful to see how organizations have been applying the concepts in practice. In my work, I still often get pushback from organizations on dedicating time and resources to these soft skills when there is so much substantive work to be done. This book reinforced the upside-down nature of that thinking.
I'm interested to look at the Fieldbook that complements this book.
coralrose's review against another edition
3.0
Pedantic and preachy. Overly complicated language to describe some valuable concepts.
petealdin's review against another edition
5.0
A bible for the modern/post-modern organisation, be it business, charity, church or school.
erikars's review against another edition
5.0
Some books are perspective changing and some take a perspective already inside of you and develop it into a much more powerful and actionable set of tools. The Fifth Discipline is the latter sort of book. It is like an application of my attitude toward life directly to organizational leadership.
Even though this book is fairly short, it took me weeks to read. Every time I read it, there was an observation or a tool that I had to think about or share. (And oh, how I love systems thinking.)
There are many summaries available online, so I won't try to add another. Instead, I'll just say that if this book sounds at all intriguing to you, you should read it.
Even though this book is fairly short, it took me weeks to read. Every time I read it, there was an observation or a tool that I had to think about or share. (And oh, how I love systems thinking.)
There are many summaries available online, so I won't try to add another. Instead, I'll just say that if this book sounds at all intriguing to you, you should read it.
teibrich's review against another edition
5.0
This book puts together 5 key enablers for a building an nurturing a learning organisation:
- Personal Mastery
- Mental Models
- Shared Vision
- Team Learning, and
- Systems Thinking
Peter Senger believes that all of these are needed to put learning back into our organisations; and that this is a key requirement for businesses thriving in our age. A huge focus of they book is definitely on Systems Thinking and this has been a key learning for me: System Thinking provides models and language to work with complexity and look at the whole.
I love the building bricks the book provides, the optimism it brings and the overarching frame of sustainability it adds in the final chapter. Looking at the whole and learning are fundamentally underrated capacities in today’s organisations and that’s what makes this book so important and inspiring.
- Personal Mastery
- Mental Models
- Shared Vision
- Team Learning, and
- Systems Thinking
Peter Senger believes that all of these are needed to put learning back into our organisations; and that this is a key requirement for businesses thriving in our age. A huge focus of they book is definitely on Systems Thinking and this has been a key learning for me: System Thinking provides models and language to work with complexity and look at the whole.
I love the building bricks the book provides, the optimism it brings and the overarching frame of sustainability it adds in the final chapter. Looking at the whole and learning are fundamentally underrated capacities in today’s organisations and that’s what makes this book so important and inspiring.