“You can’t manage a secret. We can’t solve problems we don’t see.” So Alan Mulally (legendary past CEO of Ford Motor) has said. Yet, no one likes to be the bearer of bad news.
There are myriad reasons that issues, even significant ones, often don’t get communicated to the people in the organization who should know. Let’s explore how to overcome some common barriers to “raising the red flag.”
Barrier ➡️ Possible Solution
✳️ You don’t even realize it’s a problem ➡️ Utilize key metrics to help identify/highlight areas that are an issue or otherwise “out of the norm.”
✳️ You don’t want to look bad (such as, that the problem is the result of a personal failing) ➡️ Set your ego/pride/fears aside and proceed with the mindset that the benefit of raising the issue in a timely and direct manner will offset any negative views of what caused it.
✳️ Fear of negative consequences ➡️ This can be an environmental/culture/norms issue but, regardless, recognize that doing so is for the good of the organization (the “greater good”) and have faith that others will react accordingly.
✳️ You believe that you can address it yourself ➡️ Maybe you can, but if it’s a potentially consequential issue, what’s the harm in exploring the situation and options with others?
✳️ You’re too busy ➡️ The problem will likely only get worse as time goes by, so escalating it now will probably involve less effort (and require less to resolve it) than delaying.
✳️ It’s not clear who should be informed ➡️ Reach out to your manager or colleagues for guidance.
✳️ You feel that others won’t care or that nothing will be done ➡️ Have the facts/data/info necessary to present a compelling case as to why they should care. Remain vigilant until you find an open ear.
If you aren’t familiar with loss aversion bias, I recommend that you look into it. It’s where people are more motivated to avoid discomfort today than they are to reap a potential gain tomorrow. And, in general, a common reason for putting off raising an issue, even when doing so is the right thing to do.
This isn’t about crying wolf. This IS about raising issues that should not be kept under wraps.