Decision-Making

In Italy, important decisions are made by a specific person — the one who has the experience, the expertise, and the accountability. In a family business, that is the owner. In a university department, it is the professor.

In a project team, it is the senior figure whose track record gives them the standing to decide. This is not about formal titles — it is about recognized personal authority. Italians trust individual judgment over committee processes because they believe a knowledgeable, experienced person integrates factors that no procedure can capture.

If you are working with Italian decision-makers, identify the individual who actually holds authority. They may not be the person with the most impressive title, but they are the one whose judgment the organization relies on and whose word commits the organization.

Italian decision-makers consult before they decide — but not through formal committees or structured processes. They talk to trusted people: a business partner, a family member, a longtime colleague, their accountant, a knowledgeable friend. These conversations happen over coffee, over the phone, over lunch — not in meeting rooms with agendas.

The consultation is genuine: the decision-maker listens and incorporates what they hear. But it is not democratic. The final call belongs to the authority figure.

If you are part of this process, understand your role: you are being asked for your perspective, not your vote. Offer your honest assessment, respect the decision-maker’s right to decide differently, and understand that being consulted is itself a sign of trust and respect.

Italian decision-makers trust their judgment — their experience, their reading of people, their sense of a situation — more than they trust formal analytical processes. Data and analysis matter, but they inform the person’s judgment rather than replacing it. Italians call this quality fiuto — the instinct for a situation developed through years of experience.

When an Italian decision-maker says “this doesn’t feel right,” they are drawing on a depth of pattern recognition that operates below the level of explicit analysis. If you need to influence a decision, presenting data alone will not be enough. You need to engage the decision-maker as a person — help them see the situation, understand the people involved, and form their own conviction. Their judgment, not your spreadsheet, will be decisive.

Do not mistake Italian deliberation for indecision. Italian decision-makers take time — they consult, reflect, weigh options, and wait until their judgment tells them the moment is right. This phase can feel slow, especially if you are used to faster decision cycles.

But once the decision is made, action follows quickly. Because authority is concentrated, there is no gap between deciding and executing. The person who decides is often the person who acts.

This means the Italian decision process looks like a long runway followed by a sudden takeoff. Be patient during the deliberation phase. Do not push for premature commitment — it will backfire. But be ready to move fast once the decision lands, because the Italian decision-maker will expect immediate execution.

In Italy, the formal decision process and the actual decision process are often different things. The formal process — the committee, the tender, the evaluation — exists and is followed. But the real decision is often shaped through informal channels: personal conversations, relationship dynamics, and the influence of trusted individuals who may have no formal role.

This is not hidden or considered improper — it is simply how things work. If you are navigating Italian decision-making, engage with the formal process, but invest equally in understanding the informal dynamics. Identify who actually influences the decision-maker. Build relationships with those people. Understand that the meeting where the decision is announced may not be the meeting where the decision was made.

Italian decision-makers do not reduce decisions to a single dimension like cost or efficiency. They evaluate choices across multiple dimensions simultaneously: practical merit, relational consequences, reputational effects, timing, and contextual fit. A decision that saves money but damages an important relationship may be judged a bad decision. A decision that costs more but preserves trust and shows respect for people may be judged wise.

If you are presenting options to Italian decision-makers, address the full picture. Show that you understand the relational dynamics, the timing considerations, and the broader context — not just the numbers. Decision-makers who see that you understand the human complexity of the situation will trust your input more than those who present only data.

In Italy, how a decision is communicated is as important as what the decision is. The decision-maker is expected to explain their reasoning with clarity, present the decision with confidence, and show genuine regard for the people affected. A good decision announced badly is diminished. A difficult decision presented with grace and honesty can strengthen the decision-maker’s authority.

This is connected to the concept of bella figura — maintaining dignity and quality in how one presents oneself and one’s work. If you are involved in communicating decisions, invest in the presentation. Articulate the reasoning. Acknowledge the impact on people.

Show that the decision was made thoughtfully and with respect for those affected. In Italy, the quality of the communication is part of the quality of the decision.