I was recently asked to coach a senior leader on creating a business case and help them prepare to present it to the Senior Leadership Team. What struck me during my preparation was how often leaders view a business case as a technical exercise rather than a moment of leadership. This article examines some key principles that strengthen not just the case itself but also the commitment it can generate.

In most organisations, decisions about where to invest time, money, and attention are often framed as technical choices. Yet beneath every investment sits something more human: competing needs, differing assumptions, unspoken fears, and a hope that the future can be shaped. A business case, when created with depth, becomes far more than a justification. It becomes a shared understanding of why the work matters and what the organisation is prepared to stand behind.

A strong business case contains disciplined analysis, but the analysis alone is not what convinces people. What creates commitment is how clearly the case expresses purpose, how honestly it names risks, and how skilfully it invites people into a conversation about value, priorities, and responsibility. This blend of clarity and connection is what elevates a business case from a budget request to an act of leadership.

Begin by understanding the lived reality of the problem

Most business cases begin with a statement of the problem, but these statements often read like headings rather than truths. To craft a compelling case, start by exploring the human and operational experience of the issue. Where does it show up in the workflow. Who feels the consequences. How does it drain energy, create friction, or limit the organisation’s ability to serve customers.

Instead of describing a problem in abstract terms, speak to its texture. For example, instead of saying that response times are slow, explore what that means. Perhaps frontline teams feel they are letting customers down. Perhaps managers spend their time firefighting rather than improving. Naming these lived realities helps people recognise why the problem deserves attention.

Another essential part of this stage is understanding the cost of doing nothing. Every organisation has projects waiting for care, and the ability to distinguish between what is urgent and what is merely noisy is a sign of maturity. When people see the consequences of inaction, the case gains urgency rooted in shared understanding rather than pressure.

Shape a solution that has meaning, not just specifications

A business case does not require flawless technical detail, but it does require a meaningful explanation of what the proposed solution aims to create. Describe the direction, the intention, and the boundaries. This is where technical clarity meets organisational storytelling.

Present the recommended solution alongside other viable options, including the option to maintain the status quo. Doing so demonstrates stewardship rather than advocacy. It signals that the choice has been considered, not assumed. It also gives people the opportunity to explore trade-offs honestly, which increases their ownership of the final path chosen.

Scope deserves particular attention. Defining what is out of scope is as important as defining what is in. This boundary prevents misunderstandings and reduces the temptation to load the initiative with every adjacent improvement someone hopes to make. A disciplined scope also shows respect for the resources and patience of the organisation.

Describe benefits in a way that is both felt and measured

Benefits are often the heart of the business case, yet they are also the most misunderstood. Leaders tend to jump straight to financial measures because they are tangible, but many of the most impactful benefits are qualitative: improved trust between teams, better customer experience, clearer processes, higher capability, or reduced frustration.

Begin by describing benefits in human terms. What will change in the day-to-day experience of teams and customers. What will become easier. What new possibilities will open. This invites people to picture the future rather than merely calculate it.

Then translate these outcomes into measurable indicators. Define what success looks like in terms of time saved, error rates reduced, customer satisfaction improved, or revenue generated. The combination of felt benefit and measured benefit is more persuasive than either one alone.

It is useful to acknowledge that not all benefits appear at the same time. Some will emerge immediately while others depend on new habits, new capabilities, or cultural shifts. A mature business case respects this timing rather than assuming all benefits land on day one.

Bring costs and risks into the light

Costs and risks are not obstacles. They are invitations to be honest. When a leadership team sees that the costs have been considered with care, and that risks are named rather than softened, their level of trust increases.

Describe costs in full, including the less visible ones such as capacity, time, training, and disruption to established routines. Financial costs are easy to itemise, but the human costs often matter just as much.

Present risks with clarity. Explore what could realistically go wrong and what would be required to mitigate these scenarios. Avoid the temptation to over-reassure. A credible business case treats risk as something to be navigated rather than suppressed.

You can enhance the depth of this section by including light scenario thinking. Briefly outline how the organisation would respond if assumptions turned out to be optimistic or if circumstances shift unexpectedly. This builds readiness rather than false confidence.

Define how success will be measured, monitored, and learned from

Success measures are a form of contract. They reinforce that the organisation is prepared to examine whether value is truly being created. They also acknowledge that delivery does not guarantee benefit; what matters is whether the initiative makes a meaningful difference.

Outline how progress will be tracked throughout the life of the work. Describe the indicators, the cadence of review, and the thresholds for action. This avoids the common trap of focusing only on launch rather than long-term value.

Measurement is also about learning. A thoughtful business case establishes learning loops that help the team adapt when reality diverges from expectation. This positions measurement as stewardship rather than surveillance.

Specify how the work will be governed and supported

Even the best idea will falter without a clear structure for coordination, decision making, and accountability. Use the business case to define roles, responsibilities, pathways for escalation, and the rhythm of governance.

Consider the relational side as well. Which stakeholders need to be part of the conversation. Where must alignment be built. Which cross-functional relationships will be essential to success. These questions acknowledge that projects succeed when relationships succeed.

Deepen the section by examining the organisation’s history with similar initiatives. What needs to be different this time. What patterns tend to derail delivery. This honesty demonstrates maturity and prepares the ground for better outcomes.

Recognise the social life of a business case

Once a business case leaves the author’s desk, it enters a world of priorities, politics, and competing narratives. Understanding this social life strengthens the case.

At this stage, the tone matters. If the business case feels like a demand, it will meet resistance. If it feels like an invitation to create value together, it is more likely to gain sponsorship and ownership.

Recognise that every investment is also a decision not to invest in something else. Naming this respectfully shows empathy and builds credibility.

Treat the business case as a living agreement

A business case is not a moment. It is a relationship over time. As the work progresses, assumptions evolve, risks shift, and new data emerges. The most effective business cases are revisited regularly to ensure they still represent the best path forward.

This approach acknowledges complexity. It positions the business case as a tool for clarity, learning, and shared responsibility rather than a static justification.

Bringing people onboard with the case

A business case will only deliver value if people feel part of it. Even the most rigorous analysis cannot compensate for a lack of human commitment. Securing support is less about persuasion and more about building the conditions in which people recognise the purpose, trust the process, and see themselves inside the work. A compelling business case is therefore both an argument and an invitation.

Start by involving people early, before the document takes shape. Ask what matters to them, what they believe the organisation needs, what risks they anticipate, and what a meaningful outcome would look like. These conversations do more than inform the case. They build shared authorship, and shared authorship builds ownership. When people sense they have shaped the direction, they are more likely to stand behind it.

Share evolving drafts openly and welcome critique. Transparency gives others room to engage without defensiveness. It removes the sense that the case is being sold and replaces it with a feeling that the organisation is thinking together. As people challenge assumptions, propose alternatives, or raise uncomfortable truths, the case becomes more credible and more robust.

Pay particular attention to those who will be most affected. Listen to their concerns, their constraints, and their priorities. Acknowledge the impact that the proposed work will have on their daily reality. When people feel seen, they respond with greater maturity, even when the change is difficult. Resistance often comes not from disagreement but from feeling overlooked.

Finally, help people understand the story the business case is telling. Not just the logic, but the journey. What future is the organisation choosing. What becomes possible if this goes well. How will the work strengthen relationships, capability, or customer experience. When people can imagine their place in that story, commitment shifts from compliance to contribution.

Conclusion: A business case as an act of leadership

A well crafted business case is not simply a document that competes for approval. It is a disciplined act of leadership that brings clarity to complexity, honesty to ambition, and shared understanding to moments where choices matter. When done well, it slows the rush to solutions and invites a richer conversation: What is the future we want to create. What must change for that future to be possible. What commitments are we prepared to make together.

The power of a business case lies not in its format but in its posture. It signals that the organisation is ready to examine value with care rather than enthusiasm alone. It names realities that are often felt but seldom voiced. And it offers a path forward that honours both analysis and the human beings who will carry the work.

Ultimately, a business case is a promise. A promise that we have considered our options. That we understand what is at stake. That we are willing to be accountable for the outcomes we anticipate. The craft of building one reminds us that leadership is not about certainty but about creating the conditions in which people can commit with confidence and act with purpose.

Do you have any tips or advice for building business cases?

What has worked for you?

Do you have any recommended resources to explore?

Thanks for reading!