1. Decision-Making Is About More Than Being Right
During my law studies, I learned a phrase that has stayed with me ever since: “Having a right and getting a right are two different things.” The idea was simple: It is not enough to have a valid legal claim. You must also be able to enforce it in court.
I have often been reminded of this principle when observing decision-making in organizations. Of course, companies are not courts. Yet there is an interesting parallel: Even the strongest arguments in favor of a particular decision are of little value if they fail to gain traction.
2. Good Arguments Do Not Automatically Win
At one of my former companies, there was an ongoing debate about the future of a project that had been generating substantial losses for a long time.
Several members of management argued early on that the project should be terminated. Looking back, they were right. The project was eventually shut down, but only after losses had grown to a level that could have been significantly reduced through an earlier decision.
What I found particularly interesting was something else: Those advocating for termination quickly found themselves on the defensive. Although their arguments were convincing, they were perceived as overly cautious, too risk-averse, or insufficiently entrepreneurial. The discussion was therefore not driven by facts alone. It was also shaped by perceptions, labels, narratives, and attitudes. Ironically, those who were ultimately right failed to gain support because they did not communicate their position effectively enough.
This taught me that good decisions require more than strong arguments. They often require strong communication as well.
3. The Real Work Begins After the Decision
Equally important is what happens once a decision has been made. Many leaders view a decision as complete the moment it is taken. In reality, that is often when the real challenge begins. Almost every significant decision creates winners and losers. When a project is cancelled, it affects people who may have invested months or even years of work. When a strategy changes, other ideas lose importance. When priorities shift, previously favored initiatives move into the background.
Leaders who ignore this emotional dimension often leave behind frustration, disappointment, and resistance.
4. People Need a Way to Save Face
That is why good communication also means acknowledging those whose proposals, projects, or ideas did not prevail. This does not mean softening or questioning the decision itself. It means recognizing the effort that has been invested.
A recent example comes from a very different context. In Hamburg, citizens recently voted against hosting the Olympic Games. In the difficult communication that followed for the city government, great emphasis was placed on the fact that many of the concepts, analyses, and plans developed during the bid process could still be used in the future.
The message to everyone who had invested their time and energy was clear: Your work was not wasted. People are far more willing to accept decisions when they do not feel that their contribution has been dismissed or devalued.
5. Good Decisions Need a Good Narrative
Finally, there is the question of how a decision is explained. Here too, facts alone are often not enough. If a company decides to discontinue a product line, the communication could simply be: “This business segment is being discontinued. It is not profitable.”
That may be factually correct.
But the company could also explain that this decision frees up resources to expand other areas, accelerate innovation, or strengthen long-term competitiveness. Both statements describe the same decision. Yet the second version helps people understand the broader context and look toward the future with greater confidence, even if they disagree with the decision itself.
A good narrative is not an alternative to honest communication. It is an extension of it. It helps people make sense of decisions and understand why they were made.
6. My Impuls
How much attention do you devote to the communication of a decision? Do you focus only on making the right decision? Or do you also think about how to build support for it, how those negatively affected can save face, and what narrative might increase acceptance across the organization?
Because many decisions do not fail because they are wrong.
They fail because they were never embedded in a thoughtful communication strategy.
