Pillars of the Five Disciplines

The Sixth Discipline
Henry Egidius, Member
In my experience (from many workplaces), I have drawn the conclusion that the most important discipline of them all, the sixth discipline, is a particular set of personal qualities of leaders in an organization, difficult to catch with a description but evident for those who are observant enough to notice them.
A leading person (in a learning organization) must have something extra which is not included in principles and strategies: the personal intuition, cleverness and decisiveness, something which coordinates, integrates, creates.
We can see how a firm will deteriorate if it suddenly gets a leader who is too exuberant, narcissistic and unwilling to listen to others. This is of course in accordance with Peter Senge's theory.
But I should like to add that it makes a big difference if the leader has a 6. certain personal charisma. Not easy to describe, but obvious to those who have experience of different personalities in their work and private life.

Five Disciplines
rajeesh, Member
Very practical tool. I have really struggled with personal mastery and shift in peoples mental models.

The Sixth Discipline
F.H.J. Janssen, Member
@Henry Egidius : The sixth discipline, as you call it, are the disciplines one to five all together.
If you master the 5 principles, you will have a particular set of personal qualities and you will be a leader.
To become so, many people need a significant 'mind shift' and a new understanding of importance. There's a lot to do...

The Fifth Discipline (The Learning Organisation)
Paul von Zeuner, Member
I have used "the learning organisation"with some success. Things really start to happen when the "team" really starts to work as a learning team.
There is the role of the individual leader, but a well functioning learning team will find that they consist of a group of leaders each with his/her own area of strength.
To get there the level of engagement should be very high with a public window that leaves only a small facade and blind spot.
Remember also the often quoted "Be the change you want to see in the world" by M.K. Gandhi.

Five Disciplines
Henry Egidius, Member
@F.H.J. Janssen: Hope so, thank you. But it is not my experience in real settings.