1. Team Learning (Senge’s Five Disciplines)
Living System Ministry
Team Learning (Senge’s Five Disciplines)
Understanding the Fourth of Senge’s Five Disciplines
© 2012 Emmanuel Gospel Center

2. Team Learning
Suspending assumptions and genuinely thinking together (dialogue)
What is Team Learning?
Have you ever been on a team that really wasn’t a team? It may have been for a project at school or work. There may have been one person – you, perhaps – who kept things moving forward, made the decisions, and did most of the work. There may have been one or more members who, for whatever reason, did not want or were not able to participate and contribute. Perhaps the members of the team were constantly fighting and misunderstanding one another, or there was a stalemate of awkward silence. Whatever the case, we have all been on teams that did not function properly.
Now, think of a positive team experience. At their best, teams have strong communication between their members: information is able to flow freely and disagreements become opportunities to think deeper, ultimately informing better decisions and results. Everyone brings different strengths and weaknesses to the table, but they are not sources of division or conflict. Instead, strengths are put to good use and weaknesses are offset by the strengths of others from whom we can learn. What are other characteristics of a high functioning team?
According to Peter M. Senge and The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, “team learning starts with ‘dialogue,’ the capacity of members of a team to suspend assumptions and enter into a genuine, ‘thinking together.’” In other words, team learning is about practicing the first three disciplines of personal mastery, mental models, and shared vision in the context of an effective, healthy, and unified team. Teams are living systems and work best when there is strong understanding, relationship, and communication between and among their members. This is very hard to do and maintain in a fallen world!
Because we and all of Creation were “fearfully and wonderfully made,” it is important to keep in mind that each has value and insight. We must also remember that subconscious mental models are everywhere, and they can either be negative or positive; we need others to help us realize and address them, particularly those that are harmful or hurtful. By engaging in team learning, differences in mental models are brought to surface and become opportunities to improve understanding. Ideally, negative mental models are identified, confessed and addressed among team members who are committed to both personal mastery and shared vision. Team learning is essential to doing Living Systems Ministry according to God’s example and design.
© 2012 Emmanuel Gospel Center 2

3. Team Learning Disagreements and conflicts can be sources of deeper
thinking and better decision
making.
What is Team Learning?
Because we and all of Creation were “fearfully and wonderfully made,” it is important to keep in mind that each has value and insight. We must also remember that subconscious mental models are everywhere, and they can either be negative or positive; we need others to help us realize and address them, particularly those that are harmful or hurtful. By engaging in team learning, differences in mental models are brought to surface and become opportunities to improve understanding. Ideally, negative mental models are identified, confessed and addressed among team members who are committed to both personal mastery and shared vision. Team learning is essential to doing Living Systems Ministry according to God’s example and design.
© 2012 Emmanuel Gospel Center 3

4. Team Learning is hard We are all sinful and live in a fallen world
We lack
Humility
Courage
Patience and practice
But it’s worth it
and necessary!
Why is team learning so difficult?
Team learning is difficult because we are all sinful and live in a fallen world. We might all agree that diversity, suspending our assumptions, and dialogue are good things to strive for, but the reality of practice is a completely different thing. For some, the challenge is having the humility to allow others to question and correct us. For others, we lack the courage to openly share our opinions and gifts, especially if it involves challenging or correcting others. We also need the ability to listen and communicate well, but these skills require much investment of patience and practice. Can you identify other challenges and obstacles to team learning?
With a living system, we must remember that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. For this reason, the ultimate value of team learning is that we are able to tap into and release God’s wisdom and power stored in collective bodies. If we choose to isolate ourselves out of the frustration, disappointment or exhaustion of having to work with others, it greatly limits the potential God has placed in us to do Living Systems Ministry.
© 2012 Emmanuel Gospel Center 4

5. So… What is Team Learning? KEY TEACHING POINTS:
Team learning is about practicing the first three disciplines of personal mastery, mental models, and shared vision together in the context of an effective, healthy, and unified team.
We must learn to suspend our assumptions and judgments in order to engage in dialogue.
Good listening and communication are essential to team learning.
With team learning, disagreements and conflicts can be sources of deeper thinking and better decision making.
Mental models can be more easily surfaced and addressed in this environment.
Team members are committed to continually sharing their gifts and learning from one another.
Team learning is difficult to do because we are all sinful and live in a fallen world.
Whether we need more humility or courage, members need to be dedicated to personal mastery for the team to function well.
Despite very real challenges, team learning is essential to accessing God’s power and potential that is immeasurably greater than what we can do alone.  
© 2012 Emmanuel Gospel Center 5