Bruce Gudmundsson writes about decision-forcing cases and the case method. Mark “Moose” McGrath asked him where the method came from and why it works. I wasn’t on this one, and Mark took it.
Where the method began
Harvard Business School used decision-forcing cases early in the twentieth century, and the US Army Infantry School adopted them too. A case puts you in the shoes of someone who faced a hard problem. You have to decide what you would do.
Socrates and orientation
The method works well beyond military history. Bruce shows how the Socratic method and orientation sit at the heart of it. He traces a line from Xenophon’s account of Socrates to business versions of military history cases. A student might run a manufacturing plant, lead a law firm or coach a football team.
Character and limits
Bruce sees the cases as a way to change how people think and to build character. Learning from history and knowing the limits of what we know helps people decide well under pressure. The Decision Game Club brings people of different ages, nationalities and backgrounds together to practice.
Every case trains orientation, because the learner has to read the situation before acting.
What hard decision from your field would make a good case for your team?
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