Lessons Senge Provides That Relates to Personal

¶ … lessons Senge provides that relates to personal mastery is that the manager needs an understanding of the gap between vision and current reality as a tool for creative energy. What is important about this is that the vision needs to be clear, along with the recognition of reality as a current situation that can and must change. The tension between these two is then what causes the individual to use his or her creativity to make changes towards the vision. In terms of personal mastery, this means that a leader needs to recognize that no reality is static. Hence, such a leader, by mastering this understanding in his or her personal life, will also apply this to business.

As for mental models, Senge's main lesson suggests that learning skills are essential, particularly in terms of two broad classes: Skills of reflection and skills of inquiry. Both of these relate directly to one's management of mental models. Reflection, for example, helps the individual to carefully consider his or her own constructed mental models and modify them if they prove to be false. Skills of inquiry allows people to investigate existing situations and facts to determine if their mental models are a true reflection of these. In both cases, the individual is required to take time to avoid making the snap, often unconscious judgments most people are prone to. This is an essential skill in a leader.

These discplines connect closely with Fiedler's Contingency Theory of leadership, as it requires specific self-reflection to be effective. In order to effectively lead a company, the theory requires the leader to determine his or her own leadership style. This requires careful reflection. The second component of the theory, which focuses on the situation the company faces, requires skills of inquiry. The leader needs inquiry skills in order to determine the nature of the situation and what is required to achieve the vision. To effectively match leadership style and situation, the leader must creatively respond to the gap between the ideal situation, or vision, and the current situation the company is facing. This gap must be addressed by means of effective leadership.

I do not believe that leadership style needs to affect one's ability to pursue epersonal mastery and manage mental models. Indeed, reflection and inquiry are skills required to determine one's leadership style. How to use this to effectively address the gap between current situation and vision requires both personal mastery and managing mental models. Hence, I do not believe that a factor that concerns one's inherent nature as a leader should or does affect one's ability to manage factors that can be changed and are determine by external elements.

In reaction to the response, it makes a particularly good point regarding slowing down our thinking in a world that is increasingly fast paced, not only in terms of the work we are required to do, but also in terms of the information that bombards us on a daily basis. These two factors combined requires quick thinking and decision-making, which makes it very difficult to take time for reflection, learning, or conscious self-management. Hence Senge's core disciplines are important indeed in the business context, where decision-making and leadership have the potential to affect tens or even thousands of people.