--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Discussion is just a tool. You have to…" description: "\"Discussion is just a tool. You have to aim; the final goal must be a decision.\" — Harri Holkeri" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/harri-holkeri-21069_aim_discussion-is-just-a-tool-you-have-to-ai_1996641.jpg" --- # Discussion is just a tool. You have to aim; the final goal… ![“Discussion is just a tool. You have to aim; the final goal must be a decision.” quote by Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/harri-holkeri-21069_aim_discussion-is-just-a-tool-you-have-to-ai_1996641.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/harri-holkeri-21069_aim_discussion-is-just-a-tool-you-have-to-ai_1996641.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/harri-holkeri-21069_aim_discussion-is-just-a-tool-you-have-to-ai_1996641.jpg) > “Discussion is just a tool. You have to aim; the final goal must be a decision.” [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Discussion is a means to an end; its purpose is to reach a definitive decision. **In simple terms:** Discussion leads to decisions. Key Takeaway Focus on outcomes. Themes decision-making communication strategy Mood analytical pragmatic Type business philosophical When to use this quote - board meetings - policy formulation - team planning Key Concepts deliberation consensus building Questions to Reflect On - When is revisiting a decision wise? - How to balance discussion depth and speed? A Different Perspective Decisions may still be revisited later. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) ## Related quotes > [Tonally, there was no discussion; I just don’t know any other way to do it. I don’t want to make people feel bad, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/tonally-there-was-no-discussion-i-just-don-t-know-any-other-way-to-do/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [A goal or decision without a deadline has no urgency. It has no real beginning or end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/a-goal-or-decision-without-a-deadline-has-no-urgency-it-has-no-real/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I have come to an odd belief, which is that we don't make decisions so much as the decisions make us. The goal of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-dunn/i-have-come-to-an-odd-belief-which-is-that-we-don-t-make-decisions-so/) [Andy Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-dunn/) > [I have one goal with all my decision: to do whatever is needed to win today's game. I'm loyal to my players, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-have-one-goal-with-all-my-decision-to-do-whatever-is-needed-to-win/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [A scientist's aim in a discussion with his colleagues is not to persuade, but to clarify.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-szilard/a-scientist-s-aim-in-a-discussion-with-his-colleagues-is-not-to/) [Leo Szilard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-szilard/) > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [ \[James\] Madison pointed out in the discussion of the constitutional debates - the constitutional convention - that democracy would be a danger. He used… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/james-madison-pointed-out-in-the-discussion-of-the-constitutional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are two famous labyrinths where our reason very often goes astray. One concerns the great question of the free and the necessary, above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/there-are-two-famous-labyrinths-where-our-reason-very-often-goes/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [There needs to be some regime that is overseeing access to broadband to make sure we have openess; otherwise, there is a risk it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/there-needs-to-be-some-regime-that-is-overseeing-access-to-broadband/) [Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/) > [ \[Kathleen Blackshear\] just said, "Have you thought of looking at this?" and so on and so on and so on. And it was a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mackenzie/kathleen-blackshear-just-said-have-you-thought-of-looking-at-this-and/) [Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-mackenzie/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) Sheila Kamerman > [To prevent discussion of any other explanations of human origins is hardly what I would expect from open-minded educators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/to-prevent-discussion-of-any-other-explanations-of-human-origins-is/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) ## More by Harri Holkeri > [In every European nation, there have been problems in history when the society was too divided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/in-every-european-nation-there-have-been-problems-in-history-when-the/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [In Finland, we learned quite a lot from our own civil war. The wounds were visible when I was a boy, but my generation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/in-finland-we-learned-quite-a-lot-from-our-own-civil-war-the-wounds/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [When my first child was born in 1962, I wrote a letter to my grandfather telling him how happy I was but how concerned;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/when-my-first-child-was-born-in-1962-i-wrote-a-letter-to-my/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [That is where consensus-building begins-with the idea that you have your own truth, but that the negotiator on the other side of the table…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/that-is-where-consensus-building-begins-with-the-idea-that-you-have/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [You cannot make easy decisions unless you first commit yourself to hard solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/you-cannot-make-easy-decisions-unless-you-first-commit-yourself-to/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [If there is something I would like to do as President of the General Assembly, it is to place more emphasis on the issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/if-there-is-something-i-would-like-to-do-as-president-of-the-general/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [I really do hope that the Millennium Summit gives new impetus to the work of the United Nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/i-really-do-hope-that-the-millennium-summit-gives-new-impetus-to-the/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [My opinion on who's wrong or who's right has nothing to do with the fact that we have to bring together people who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/my-opinion-on-who-s-wrong-or-who-s-right-has-nothing-to-do-with-the/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [I do not want to speak about overpopulation or birth control, but I think education is the way to give new impetus to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/i-do-not-want-to-speak-about-overpopulation-or-birth-control-but-i/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [What we can do as individuals may not be very much on the global scale, but we have to start the change by living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/what-we-can-do-as-individuals-may-not-be-very-much-on-the-global/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [There are many challenges, there are many obstacles; let us try to change the obstacles to advantages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/there-are-many-challenges-there-are-many-obstacles-let-us-try-to/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [We Finns represent a very transparent and open-minded way of reaching political decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/we-finns-represent-a-very-transparent-and-open-minded-way-of-reaching/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [If you come to a negotiation table saying you have the final truth, that you know nothing but the truth and that is final,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/if-you-come-to-a-negotiation-table-saying-you-have-the-final-truth/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [I think I can regard myself as a political decision-maker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/i-think-i-can-regard-myself-as-a-political-decision-maker/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [In Finland we have equal political rights for women and men. We do not regard ourselves according to sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/in-finland-we-have-equal-political-rights-for-women-and-men-we-do-not/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) [Explore all 30 Harri Holkeri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Discussion is just a tool. 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