Rating: 
Summary: Little Value for Practitioner
Review: This book is too theoretical for practitioners.
Rating:
Summary: Audible.com Version Cannot be Heard
Review: The Audible.com version of this book is proprietary and the conversion programs offered by the company do not work. The download process is not intuitive. The company is very slow to respond to customer inquiries and complaints.
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Summary: GREAT INTRO TO SYSTEMS THINKING
Review: This book focuses on the creation of a learning organization by studying the five disciplines needed for it. I found the first section, when Senge focuses on an explanation for systems thinking, was outstanding, and all the stars I give this book are based on the first 100 pages.The rest of the book, when Senge seeks to develop the other four disciplines, seemed to me very unfocused and not as useful as the first part. The ending wraps it all together, in a pretty good summary of his entire argument. If I were to start reading this book today, I would read the portion on systems thinking, skim the section on the other four disciplines, and read the ending. I believe that would be much more time efficient, not to mention interesting. Make sure, though, that you understand the basics of the other four disciplines in order to proceed to the ending. Overall, it was an interesting read, useful for the systems thinking perspective, especially for a beginner in the subject. As for the learning organization, maybe one of his later supplements to this book would be more useful.
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Summary: Good basic concepts - irritating squish and scope creep
Review: Although I found many the book's concepts to be intuitively obvious, I am appreciative that it has become a "recommended read" within the context of our company's "Lean Six Sigma" deployment. Hopefully it would be less likely I'd sound like a new age freak when I use some of the language used in the book when recommending a better way of working together. The bottom line: "systems thinking" has a lot to do with stepping outside of oneself and looking at the entire system almost empathetically. Sounds squishy, but bear with me. This "systems thinking" enables one to deconstruct the situation to make more educated decisions. It's not easy, but with practice, makes for an effective tool that often preempts contention and misunderstanding. Allow me one recent example: We had been tasked to re-design the product development process for a recently merged organization. On either side of the widely dispersed team resided processes and associated opinions regarding what was right and wrong. To each many of the opposing team's views appeared counterintuitive, if not "stupid." "Systems thinking" would have one see that all parties are intelligent contributors who have come to conclusions reflecting often unique situations or constraints, such that their decisions may be in fact quite intelligent. When each opposing team employed this more global "systems" approach, each could recognize and appreciate the wisdom of the other. As mentioned earlier, many of the ideas sound quite soft. At many points the book itself becomes so irritatingly mushy I fought the urge to put it down or skip entire sections. I didn't read it so I could help fix the crisis in the Middle East. I'm not currently interested in re-evaluating my place or role in this world. At times the "scope creep" is unbearably aggravating. However, the content itself is worth exposing to yourself (and your team), if only because there may be many who aren't familiar with this approach. I would prefer a condensed version, something that skipped the "scope creep," but it's still a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: A thoughtful alternative to management by putting out fires.
Review: The Fifth Discipline is a liberating work, inasmuch as it offers a well thought out methodology for creating organizations that have the chance to learn in a purposeful, sustainable way. Mr. Senge provides a sound set of principles to supplement, if not replace, the traditional management toolkit of reactive, linear thinking that is sadly primitive and inadequate in this world of growing complexity.
Contrary to comments I've heard and read in respect to this book, I found The Fifth Discipline to be fairly easily disgestible, and not a 'heavy read' as some have suggested. To be sure, the concepts are often quite profound, and challenge traditional views toward management practice; however, Mr. Senge's agreeable writing style delivers the material comfortably and effectively.
I've had the chance to hear Mr. Senge speak at 'Systems Thinking in Action' conferences, and concluded on those occasions that he is a much-needed visionary with a firm grasp of reality. Reading The Fifth Discipline has only reinforced my high level of regard for him.
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Summary: For fostering both organizational growth and change.
Review: Senge's ideas have been widely repeated, digested, and reproduced in various forms since this book first appeared in 1990. Accordingly, some of the ideas in the book may on first read feel a little bit as though he were kicking in open doors. However, what Senge has to say is so thorough and well-communicated that I think that it has so far stood the test of time and is still one of the best works around on organizational knowledge and organizational change. I do a lot of work on guiding organizational change which is necessary when new technology is being introduced into the enterprise. I find the models that Senge puts forward of enduring usefulness and it is a rare project which doesn't inspire me to take this book back off the shelf. A business must-have.
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Summary: A fresh look at how systems thinking!
Review: Peter Senge's thoughts on systems thinking have changed the way I look at organization and how they function. Although I am an educator, I see how mental models, personal mastery, building shared vision, and team learning apply to not just businesses but also education. This book is easy to read and well worth the money and time.
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Summary: A cookbook for change management
Review: Easy to read and easy to use, this modern book of change management is ideal for individuals and groups of people who face radical challenges through change. Complement Peter Senge's observations with Peter F. Drucker's, "Management of the 21st Century" and you got an up-to-date toolkit for change. Sorry dear co-europeans, but the americans write currently the smartest books about change.
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Summary: Great book on Systems Perspective
Review: My litmus test for any book like this is that it is easy, and pleasant to read. Senge does a great job explaining a difficult concept -- understanding relationships and systems thinking. Written back in the early 1990's, this book is a bit dated, but readers will unlikely be able to find a book that covers the subject of organizational learning system as easily and thoroughly as this. I bought this book because several others I was reading on the subject referred to this text, and felt that Senge was the Master. After reading, I agree.
Rating: 
Summary: Will this help?
Review: Will this help you make your organization into a learning organization, if you are NOT one of the top managers, and none of the top managers want to read the book or listen to your ideas? How well do the ideas in this book fare against apathy, "not invented here" syndome, and "a prophet is without honor in his own country"?
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