Often teams get trapped in the tendency to avoid reporting the real situation of their projects. Red color in status reporting is to be avoided at all costs, even in situations in which we know we are in trouble.
I get it, we all want to look good. The red flag will also get some unwelcome attention towards our business. Also sometimes red flags can be misinterpreted, not as danger, but as dead: there is nothing we can do to recover and we give up. For that I suggest we reserve another color flag, how about black flag meaning project is dead, disaster ahead?
What if that red flag was the only opportunity we have to warn others who depend on us of a bumpy road ahead? An early red flag maybe what separates total failure from a less than stellar success, allowing others to accommodate to our actual situation. Another important reason to raise the red flag early is the possibility of making things better, by getting help removing impediments or discussing what is really fundamental for the long term success versus “the more, the better”.
I commit to flying my red flag early and get to work with all involved in making things better.
The Adaptive Executive 