The further human society drifts away from nature, the less we understand interdependence .
Personal mastery teaches us to choose. Choosing is a courageous act: picking the results and actions which you will make into your destiny.
The most effective people are those who can “hold” their vision while remaining committed to seeing current reality clearly.
Through learning we re-create ourselves. Through learning we become able to do something we never were able to do. Through learning we reperceive the world and our relationship to it. Through learning we extend our capacity to create, to be part of the generative process of life.
When all is said and done, the only change that will make a difference is the transformation of the human heart.
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.
It takes courage and skill to be unambiguous and clear.
Mastery of creative tension brings out the capacity for perseverance and patience. Time is an ally.
Learning organizations organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning how to learn together.
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.
The faster we go, the slower we need to be.
Sharing knowledge is not about giving people something, or getting something from them. That is only valid for information sharing. Sharing knowledge occurs when people are genuinely interested in helping one another develop new capacities for action; it is about creating learning processes.
When I look at efforts to create change in big companies over the past 10 years, I have to say that there’s enough evidence of success to say that change is possible – and enough evidence of failure to say that it isn’t likely. Both of those lessons are important.
In a sluggish system, aggressiveness produces instability. Either be patient or make the system more responsive.
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.
An accurate, insightful view of current reality is as important as a clear vision.
Willpower is so common among highly successful people that many see its characteristics as synonymous with success.
Dialogue starts with the willingness to challenge our own thinking, to recognize that any certainty we have is, at best, a hypothesis about the world.
Theres a lot of American kids think their food comes from the grocery store and the concept of seasonality has no meaning to them whatsoever.
Dividing an elephant in half does not produce two small elephants.