Most people would not want to be the bearer of bad news. However, if your project is not really “Green” (on time, on budget, on scope, etc.) then report the status as “Yellow.” If problems persist, say within a week, report the project status as “Red.”

Some optimistic project managers may hesitate to report the problems because they genuinely believe that a quick resolution will arrive soon. In some cases, however, the problems have nothing to do with the project manager’s abilities but the lack of commitment of others.

Given this, it is very crucial to communicate the importance of the problematic areas and the timely completion of the same. Highlight the dependencies and the potential impacts. Escalate the problems if necessary—but don’t cry wolf. If you’re still unsuccessful, then you’ll have no choice but to report the problems.

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