The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook by Charlotte Roberts, Peter M. Senge (1994, Paperback)

I purchased this book because it was a requirement for class. I thought it was going to be like any other text book I have read boring and long; however, I was wrong. This book has many great tools and strategies I find myself using at work. The section I found most interesting is the chapter on team learning. In my unit there is lots of hostility between workers mainly due to the lack of an established standard operational procedure to handle conflict in the unit. The exercises in the chapter on team learning help me solve my dilemma. It turns out it was dialogue the unit lacked. The unit simply needed a couple of minutes a week to ventilate their feelings. I like this book because the reading is interesting, the tools and strategies are effective and it is easy to follow.

The book was recommended by an MBA profession at the University of Notre Dame. It is an outstanding pragmatic "fieldbook". The topics and chapters are ala carte meaning you can search for a topic and read without reading the entire book. It teaches how, in a very readable way, to create a learning organization. The pages are formated to leave room for lots of notes and has some cute clipart.

I highly recommend it for new leaders and managers as well as those in the field for a long time who need a refresher. Don't let the size scare you - it's 1 3/4" thick. I had the spine trimmed and holes punched for a notebook so it will lay flat when reading. I also recommend "The Fifth Discipline" book althought the "fieldbook" is very useful on its own.
Happy reading! mrshop

Excellent book for evaluating and directing a company's resources and focus for becoming a learning organization.