The strongest authority can explain itself without becoming threatened.

Explaining yourself is a sign of security, not a concession. Authority that is confident in its reasoning can lay it out, take questions, and survive the process intact, because the reasoning was doing the work all along. Refusal to explain usually protects something that would not hold up.

When you are asked to justify a decision, treat it as normal rather than as a challenge. Answer plainly, including the parts you are unsure about. Nothing builds standing faster than that.