For the CFI: Poor decision-making by the instructor will be copied by the students and with a less successful outcome. Can the two of you really fit into a Cessna 152 with more than 15 minutes of fuel? Should you be flying a non-certified aircraft into known icing conditions? Are squawks to be ignored or left unreported? 
Good decision-making may require a temporary unpleasant outcome such as refusing a flight, losing income, choosing to not be employed somewhere, or missing a meeting. 
Too often the go/no-go decision is based on what is lost if the flight is not made. The decision needs to consider what could be lost if the flight is made (one&amp;rsquo;s life, wrecked aircraft, not ever making a meeting, disability, the family&amp;rsquo;s reaction, the paperwork that may need to be filled out). 
Absolute safety is an impossible goal, even staying at home in bed has its hazards. Thus flying is an exercise in risk mitigation and management. &amp;ldquo;What if&amp;rdquo; the flight is made and something happens? &amp;ldquo;What if&amp;rdquo; the flight is made and nothing happens?