Summary of The Fifth Discipline

The “Learning Organization”

As employees evolve into “knowledge workers” – those who develop and apply knowledge – companies must keep pace by becoming “learning organizations.” In such companies, workers aim to learn and grow collectively, trying out different and broader ways of thinking to realize their organization’s potential. According to a report by Stanford Research Institute International, learning organizations have three characteristics that “create meaning and set perspective”: First, they possess “vision, values and integrity.” Second, they encourage dialogue among employees. Finally, they promote “systems thinking” – focusing on the big picture instead of seeing mere sections. The report also identified important elements for integrating learning into everyday work, for example encouraging reflection on deep-seated assumptions and worldviews, and engaging in “action learning,” where workers study their own actions to improve productivity. For optimal performance, organizations need to incorporate these principles into their corporate cultures.

Organizations work the way they do because of how people think and interact. So, to change entrenched but ineffective...