Red Flags are those subtle/not-so-subtle warning signs that something or someone may not be what they appear. Ironically, while these signs seem to subtle, in hindsight they look like red flares. We tend to miss them as we want to hear or believe what we want to hear and choose to ignore the rest. Like how the young man who is with a beautiful girl seems to ignore her financial comments of debt. This should be a red flag that she may not be good with money. Or flipside: A person who swears he is a stay-at-home guy but tends to be the life of the party. More red flags.
We then grow up and do it in our careers. A boss tells people he wants to retire but can’t as the place will fall apart without him. He usually adds something like, “I just want to leave the company better than I found it.” Yet, his actions are all about him staying on; sometimes dragging the company down with him. These people can use compelling arguments to justify red flag actions. Red flags tend to be more conflicting and harder to spot in our career. But they are there: If you choose to open your eyes, you will see them. It’s just harder to see red flags when your job is on the line and you have a family to feed.