Over the long run, superior performance depends on superior learning. Peter Senge More Quotes by Peter Senge More Quotes From Peter Senge To listen fully means to pay close attention to what is being said beneath the words. You listen not only to the 'music,' but to the essence of the person speaking. You listen not only for what someone knows, but for what he or she is. Ears operate at the speed of sound, which is far slower than the speed of light the eyes take in. Generative listening is the art of developing deeper silences in yourself, so you can slow our mind's hearing to your ears' natural speed, and hear beneath the words to their meaning. Peter Senge eyemeanart It's common to say that trees come from seeds. But how can a tiny seed create a huge tree? Seeds do not contain the resources need to grow a tree. These must come from the medium or environment within which the tree grows. But the seed does provide something that is crucial : a place where the whole of the tree starts to form. As resources such as water and nutrients are drawn in, the seed organizes the process that generates growth. In a sense, the seed is a gateway through which the future possibility of the living tree emerges. Peter Senge words-of-wisdomtreewater We learn together in teams. This involves a shift from a spirit of advocacy to a spirit of enquiry. Peter Senge teaminspiringmoving Mental models are deeply ingrained assumptions, generalizations, or even pictures of images that influence how we understand the world and how we take action. Peter Senge assumptionactionworld Like a pane of glass framing and subtly distorting our vision, mental models determine what we see. Peter Senge framingvisionglasses Many in positions of authority lack the capabilities to truly lead. They are not credible. They do not command genuine respect. They are not committed to serve. They are not continually learning and growing. They are not wise. Peter Senge growingauthoritywise An accurate, insightful view of current reality is as important as a clear vision. Peter Senge visionviewsreality Reality is made up of circles but we see straight lines. Peter Senge linescirclesreality Knowledge is constructed, not transferred Peter Senge knowledge Commitment to the truth...means a relentless willingness to root out the ways we limit or deceive ourselves from seeing what is, and to continually challenge our theories of why things are the way they are. It means continually broadening our awareness. It also means continually deepening our understanding of the structures underlying current events. Peter Senge rootsmeancommitment I often say that leadership is deeply personal and inherently collective. That's a paradox that effective leaders have to embrace. Peter Senge embraceparadoxleader When all is said and done, the only change that will make a difference is the transformation of the human heart. Peter Senge changeheartpeace When there is genuine vision(as opposed to the all-too-familiar vision statement), people excel and learn, not because they are told to, but because they want to. Peter Senge visionwantpeople Personal mastery is the discipline of continually clarifying and deepening our personal vision, of focusing our energies, of developing patience, and of seeing reality objectively. Peter Senge personal-masterydisciplinereality In great teams, conflict becomes productive. The free flow of conflicting ideas is critical for creative thinking, for discovering new solutions no one individual would have come to on his own. Peter Senge teamideasthinking If you want real, significant, sustainable change, you need talented, committed local line leaders. If the line manager is not innovating, then innovation is not going to occur. Peter Senge innovationleaderreal Dividing an elephant in half does not produce two small elephants. Peter Senge elephantsdoetwo The care leadership strategy is simple: be a model. Commit yourself to your own personal mastery. Talking about personal mastery may open people's minds somewhat, but actions always speak louder than words. There is nothing more powerful you can do to encourage others in their quest for personal mastery than to be serious in your own quest. Peter Senge powerfulsimpleleadership The discipline of personal mastery...starts with clarifying the things that really matter to us (and) living our lives in the service of our highest aspirations. Peter Senge personal-masterydisciplinematter The further human society drifts away from nature, the less we understand interdependence . Peter Senge human-societyinterdependencehumans
