The RAG status
We love RAG statuses, Red, Amber, Green:
- My project is on track :)
- We are meeting all our SLA’s :)
- We have some minor resourcing issues :/
- Our cost performance is upper quartile :)
We manage our businesses with green happy faces. It gives executives a sense of control.
And if performance is red?
What happens when you report your performance as red? :(
In my own — admittedly limited experience — red status reports result in:
- Brow beating
- Executive help
- Questions about your incompetence (mine doesn’t need questioning)
- Demands that you bring status back to green
- Threats to replace you as project / operations manager
Reporting status as red is only recommended for masochists or the terminally stupid.
The RAG status rules:
As a guideline all project reporting should be 70% green, 20% amber and 10% red.
:) Green demonstrates that you are completely on-top of the situation and a capable individual.
:/ Amber should be used judiciously for the issues that you really should — in all honesty and if only for your sanity — highlight, say outbreaks of small pox or the launch of intercontinental nuclear weapons. This will give you a professional escape route should the bombs start landing.
:( Red should be used discretely for critical issues such as lack of earl grey tea in the canteen. This will prove you are not pulling the wool over your executives eyes and prevent any awkward “are you sure this is all green” questions.
Remember, red is far worse for your career than your project. Hide the red at all costs, it is a well-known truth that you can fix any issues later without any executive help. Allegedly.
This is a foolish game…
Driven by those in charge. Losing your rag (do you see what I did?) every time somebody presents you with a red status is guaranteed — unsurprisingly — to ensure that you are presented with nothing but a sea of green.
The issue is not whether you have big red problems, something is always going wrong, the issue is how you manage them when you find out about them. Do you demand explanations and scare the life out of your staff or do you support them and help them fix the issue? Would you rather you knew about the problems or not?
Something to remember next time you are sitting on the other side of the desk at that status report meeting.
Red is good
Having no problems is the biggest problem of all ~ Taiichi Ohno
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James,
You are spot on about RAG … how to report it and what happens if any reds show up.
This reminds me of just focusing on metrics. The focus is misplaced. And the reaction is disciplinary rather than about teaching, coaching, and considering how we got there and where we go from here.
Annette :-)
The focus is misplaced. And the reaction is disciplinary rather than about teaching, coaching, and considering how we got there and where we go from here.
So true. We are always half empty and never half full, why is that?
I recently read some research on this topic… I guess being negative or focusing on the negative is way more “fun” than focusing on the positive. For some.
James,
Your post reminded me of a question: what would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
It seems to me that red = fail is so many ways. But, is that really the case?
To get better at projects and delivery and politics and organisational dynamics and careers, do we not need to change the narrative around what red, amber and green really means?
Adrian
I’d say so, but then you are preaching to the converted Adrian
Hello James,
It occurs to me that the metaphor that drives the functioning of organisations – including the management of organisations – is that of machine / clockwork. It is not only that the organisation – the folks in it, the work that is done, the practices, routines – is a machine. It is that the world we find ourselves dwelling in is like clock: regular, precise, consistent, orderly, routine, predictable. Along with this metaphor is that of God. Managers assume that they have God’s ability to accurately force the future and thus can put together an unshakeable / perfect project plan.
Given this Godlike ability to put a perfect plan together and the clockwork nature of organisations and the world, clearly the desired outcome should occur at all milestones. That is to say each and every project should be Green at every status report. If it is Amber or Red, it can only be so because somebody f****d up! As f*****g up is not allowed, it is sinful, it is necessary to find this person (or persons) and correct them through some kind of flogging: the more public the better!
So, the course of action you suggest is a great one for learning and effectiveness. It is also most unwise. Only the brave, foolish, or self-made folks are advised to take this course. For the rest, which is almost all of us, the prudent course of action is to keep reporting it Green for as long as you can get away with it. And if you haven’t got a promotion, transfer, or new job elsewhere by the time it is obvious that the project is RED. Then look to blame someone else… I was once on the receiving end of a “Hospital Pass” – if you play rugby then you will know what that is!
All the best,
maz
Yes Maz, we are all perfect and nothing could ever possibly go wrong with our plans. F*****g it up is certainly not allowed.
Very astute