| Abstract: | Training courses are insufficient to solve the “wicked problems” facing organizations. Lengthy task forces also fail to meet urgent challenges that demand a rapid response. Intrigued by the success of General Electric's innovative WorkOuts, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has adapted this tool into an accelerated decisionmaking process to enhance both managerial and organizational effectiveness. Executives participate in a compressed version of the FDIC's accelerated decisionmaking process during management training, developing solutions for real organizational challenges posed by a corporate officer. Once exposed to this nontraditional problem-solving method, the executives are encouraged to apply the method to problems in their own realms. Emerging business demands compelled an evolution in the methodology, including the addition of tools for conscious reflection on the process, what the participants learn from the experience, and how they can apply that wisdom to their management practices. |
