Frank Okunak Calls Out “Plausible Deniability” as a Hidden Risk in Modern Corporate Leadership
Why Rationalizing Short-Term Decisions Undermines Trust, Governance, and Long-Term Value
New Jersey, US, 12th January 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, In a new leadership commentary, executive strategist Frank Okunak is challenging a widely accepted but rarely discussed practice inside many organizations: the use of plausible deniability to rationalize decisions that leaders know are ethically questionable, financially misleading, or strategically shortsighted.
According to Okunak, plausible deniability often emerges not through overt misconduct, but through quiet justification. “It shows up when executives tell themselves, ‘We’ll fix it next quarter,’ or ‘This lifts the bonus plan now and we’ll true it up later,’” he explains. “The problem is that intent matters just as much as mechanics.”
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