The Fifth Discipline The Fifth Discipline The Art and practice of the learning OrganizationThe Art and practice of the learning Organization by Senge P. M. (1994)by Senge P. M. (1994)

Presented ByPresented ByCheung HenselCheung Hensel

Fok PhilipsFok Philips

Lee MabelLee Mabel

Yan Chi YuenYan Chi Yuen

OutlinesOutlines

Introduction (Yan)Introduction (Yan) Building Learning Organization (Yan)Building Learning Organization (Yan) Five Disciplines of Learning Organization Five Disciplines of Learning Organization

(Yan & Hensel)(Yan & Hensel) The Fifth Discipline (Hensel)The Fifth Discipline (Hensel) Learning Disabilities (Mabel)Learning Disabilities (Mabel) Conclusion (Philips)Conclusion (Philips)

Problem in Prevailing EducationProblem in Prevailing Education

Break apart problems, fragment the world Break apart problems, fragment the world into piecesinto pieces

Knowledge is fragmentedKnowledge is fragmented Cannot see the whole picture of problemCannot see the whole picture of problem

Author’s IntentionAuthor’s Intention Destroy the illusion that the world is Destroy the illusion that the world is

created of separate, unrelated forcescreated of separate, unrelated forces Build up “Learning Organization”Build up “Learning Organization”

people expand their capacity to create people expand their capacity to create something they desiresomething they desire

nurture new and expansive patterns of nurture new and expansive patterns of thinkingthinking

has free collective aspirationhas free collective aspiration people continually learn how to learn people continually learn how to learn

togethertogether

Importance of Building Learning Importance of Building Learning OrganizationOrganization Excellent organization in the future: can tap Excellent organization in the future: can tap

people’s commitment and capacity to learn people’s commitment and capacity to learn at all levelsat all levels

Material affluence nowadays shifted Material affluence nowadays shifted people’s orientation toward work, from people’s orientation toward work, from “instrumental” view to “sacred” view“instrumental” view to “sacred” view Instrumental: a means to an endInstrumental: a means to an end Sacred: “intrinsic” benefitsSacred: “intrinsic” benefits

Disciplines of Learning Disciplines of Learning OrganizationOrganization Discipline: Discipline:

Not “enforced order” or “means of punishment”Not “enforced order” or “means of punishment” A body of theory and technique that must be A body of theory and technique that must be

studied and mastered to be put into practicestudied and mastered to be put into practice A developmental path for acquiring certain skills A developmental path for acquiring certain skills

or competenciesor competencies Components for the human behavior innovation Components for the human behavior innovation

learning organization (For engineering learning organization (For engineering innovation learning organization: technologies)innovation learning organization: technologies)

Five Disciplines of Learning Five Disciplines of Learning OrganizationOrganization Systems ThinkingSystems Thinking Personal MasteryPersonal Mastery Mental ModelsMental Models Building Shared VisionBuilding Shared Vision Team LearningTeam Learning

Systems ThinkingSystems Thinking

A conceptual framework, a body of A conceptual framework, a body of knowledge and toolsknowledge and tools

Make the patterns of an event clearerMake the patterns of an event clearer Identify the relationship between different Identify the relationship between different

phenomenaphenomena cause - result cause - result

Personal MasteryPersonal Mastery

A special level of proficiency on specific A special level of proficiency on specific skills or knowledgeskills or knowledge

Achievable by one’s commitment to Achievable by one’s commitment to lifelong learninglifelong learning

Clarify what our aspirations areClarify what our aspirations are

Mental ModelsMental Models

Ingrained assumptions, generalizations that Ingrained assumptions, generalizations that influence our understanding of the world influence our understanding of the world and thus our actionand thus our action

Examine what really happens in the worldExamine what really happens in the world Reflect on our misunderstanding of the Reflect on our misunderstanding of the

worldworld

Building Shared VisionBuilding Shared Vision

People voluntarily learn to pursue a genuine People voluntarily learn to pursue a genuine visionvision

Translate individual vision into shared Translate individual vision into shared visionvision

Team Learning Team Learning

Intelligence of the team exceeds collective Intelligence of the team exceeds collective intelligence of the individual in the teamintelligence of the individual in the team

Teams develop extraordinary capacities for Teams develop extraordinary capacities for coordinated actioncoordinated action

Individual members in the team grow more Individual members in the team grow more rapidlyrapidly

Team Learning Team Learning (con’t)(con’t)

Dialogue and thinking together, suspend Dialogue and thinking together, suspend assumptionsassumptions

Recognize interaction in teams that Recognize interaction in teams that accelerates learningaccelerates learning

Free-flowing of ideas through the teams and Free-flowing of ideas through the teams and discovers insightsdiscovers insights

The Five Learning DisciplinesThe Five Learning Disciplines

Not personalNot personal How we think, how we truly want, how we How we think, how we truly want, how we

interact and learn with othersinteract and learn with others Practice disciplines Practice disciplines To be a lifelong To be a lifelong

learnerlearner Organizations can benefit from disciplinesOrganizations can benefit from disciplines

The Five Learning Disciplines The Five Learning Disciplines (con’t)(con’t)

To enhance members’ capacities for To enhance members’ capacities for innovation and creativityinnovation and creativity

To craft strategy, design policy and To craft strategy, design policy and structure through taking into new structure through taking into new disciplinesdisciplines

Whole can exceed the sum of the partsWhole can exceed the sum of the parts

The Fifth DisciplineThe Fifth Discipline

Systems thinking is the fifth disciplineSystems thinking is the fifth discipline It integrates the disciplines, fusing them It integrates the disciplines, fusing them

into a clear body of theory and practiceinto a clear body of theory and practice It needs other 4 disciplines to realize its It needs other 4 disciplines to realize its

potentialpotential

A Shift of Mind (Metanoia)A Shift of Mind (Metanoia)

Learning involves a fundamental shift or Learning involves a fundamental shift or movement of mindmovement of mind

Adaptive learning must be joined by Adaptive learning must be joined by generative learning that enhances our generative learning that enhances our capacity to create.capacity to create.

A Shift of Mind (Metanoia) A Shift of Mind (Metanoia) (con’t)(con’t)

Through learningThrough learning Extend our capacity to create and re-create Extend our capacity to create and re-create

ourselves ourselves Reperceive the world and our relationshipReperceive the world and our relationship

Seven Learning DisabilitiesSeven Learning Disabilities

General Scenarios:General Scenarios: Companies ‘died’ because of a failure to Companies ‘died’ because of a failure to

recognize imminent threats, understand their recognize imminent threats, understand their implications or come up with alternativesimplications or come up with alternatives

Corporations remain mediocre not able to work Corporations remain mediocre not able to work up to excellenceup to excellence

I. “I am my Position”I. “I am my Position”

Most people see themselves within a Most people see themselves within a ‘system’. They tend to see their ‘system’. They tend to see their responsibilities as limited to the boundaries responsibilities as limited to the boundaries of their positions.of their positions. e.g. an American auto maker, unlike their e.g. an American auto maker, unlike their

Japanese counterparts, used 3 bolts i/o 1Japanese counterparts, used 3 bolts i/o 1 People having little sense of responsibility People having little sense of responsibility

for a common productfor a common product

II. “The Enemy is Out There”II. “The Enemy is Out There”

A Tendency for us to blame sb. or sth. for a A Tendency for us to blame sb. or sth. for a mistake, e.g. marketing mistake, e.g. marketing manufacturing manufacturing engineering engineering

A by-product of “I am my Position”, A by-product of “I am my Position”, Focusing on our position without seeing the Focusing on our position without seeing the consequences of our actions.consequences of our actions.

Misperceiving these new problems as Misperceiving these new problems as externally causedexternally caused

III. The Illusion of Taking III. The Illusion of Taking ChargeCharge Being proactive is in fashionBeing proactive is in fashion Managers taking initiatives to face up to Managers taking initiatives to face up to

difficult issues, stop waiting passivelydifficult issues, stop waiting passively ‘‘Proactiveness’ is reactiveness in disguiseProactiveness’ is reactiveness in disguise True ‘proactiveness’ is to analyze how we True ‘proactiveness’ is to analyze how we

are responsible for the problem. It is a are responsible for the problem. It is a product of our way of thinking but not an product of our way of thinking but not an emotional state.emotional state.

IV. The Fixation of EventsIV. The Fixation of Events Life is thought to be a series of events and Life is thought to be a series of events and

for each, at least one direct cause can be for each, at least one direct cause can be identified or used to explain the event.identified or used to explain the event.

Such explanations distract us from seeing Such explanations distract us from seeing the longer-term patterns of change and from the longer-term patterns of change and from understanding the causes.understanding the causes.

Ironically, primary threats to our survival Ironically, primary threats to our survival come not from sudden threats but slow, come not from sudden threats but slow, gradual processes.gradual processes.

V. The Parable of the Boiled V. The Parable of the Boiled FrogFrog Maladaptation to gradually building threats Maladaptation to gradually building threats

to survival is common with corporate failurto survival is common with corporate failure.e.

The Frog was boiled as its alertness to threaThe Frog was boiled as its alertness to threats was geared to sudden changes i/o slow, grts was geared to sudden changes i/o slow, gradual changes. (e.g. American automobile iadual changes. (e.g. American automobile industry from 60’s to 80’s)ndustry from 60’s to 80’s)

VI. The Delusion of Learning VI. The Delusion of Learning from Experiencefrom Experience When the consequences of our actions are bWhen the consequences of our actions are b

eyond our learning horizon, impossible to leeyond our learning horizon, impossible to learn from direct experience.arn from direct experience.

Most critical decisions have systemwide coMost critical decisions have systemwide consequences that stretch over years. (e.g. R&nsequences that stretch over years. (e.g. R&D decisions, promoting people to leadership D decisions, promoting people to leadership positions)positions)

Cycles are hard to trace if over 1-2 yearsCycles are hard to trace if over 1-2 years

VII. The Myth of the VII. The Myth of the Management TeamManagement Team Managers want to maintain the appearance Managers want to maintain the appearance

of cohesive team, e.g. stop disagreementof cohesive team, e.g. stop disagreement Management teams function well with Management teams function well with

routine issues but not complex issuesroutine issues but not complex issues ““Skilled incompetence” – teams proficient Skilled incompetence” – teams proficient

at keeping themselves from learningat keeping themselves from learning

We are repeating HistoryWe are repeating History

Leaders not seeing the consequences of Leaders not seeing the consequences of their policies.their policies.

Same learning disabilities appearing in the Same learning disabilities appearing in the past and the present along with past and the present along with consequences.consequences.

Five disciplines of the learning organization Five disciplines of the learning organization can act as solutions to these learning can act as solutions to these learning disabilities.disabilities.

ConclusionConclusion

Organization is built up by individuals and Organization is built up by individuals and advanced technology brings individuals togadvanced technology brings individuals togetherether

To increase effectiveness and efficiency, orTo increase effectiveness and efficiency, organizations must become “learningful”ganizations must become “learningful”

Transform from “old” to “new”, difficulties Transform from “old” to “new”, difficulties and disabilities arise. Five disciplines are thand disabilities arise. Five disciplines are the solution.e solution.

Conclusion (cont.)Conclusion (cont.)

Author tries toAuthor tries to bring innovation to organizationbring innovation to organization bring concept of knowledge society into bring concept of knowledge society into

organizationorganization

Strengths and WeaknessesStrengths and Weaknesses

StrengthsStrengths Speedup in achieving organization goalSpeedup in achieving organization goal Deliver equity concept, create a positive Deliver equity concept, create a positive

organizational climateorganizational climate Distribution of knowledge within organizationDistribution of knowledge within organization

Strengths and Weaknesses (cont.)Strengths and Weaknesses (cont.)

WeaknessesWeaknesses Individuals with have their own goal which Individuals with have their own goal which

differs from organization goaldiffers from organization goal Office politics exist between different teamsOffice politics exist between different teams ““Learning Organization” means open up Learning Organization” means open up

information. Important and sensitive information. Important and sensitive information may not easily be disclosedinformation may not easily be disclosed