“A circular yellow signal means “caution” and indicates that the signal is about to turn red. Stop for a yellow signal unless you are too close to the intersection to stop safely — in that case, drive cautiously through the intersection. Never speed up for a yellow signal to “beat” the red signal.” – North Carolina Department of Transportation
I don’t stop for yellows. I go.
There is plenty to do. There are plenty of reasons not to get things done. Is it legal? Moral? Ethical? What will the commander say? Is it in our lane? Do we have the resources? What are the second order effects?
These are yellow lights. The answers can only be found if you proceed.
You cannot stop just because there are questions. It just means you have to determine the answers.
Just because we have to do a legal review, it doesn’t mean we have to stop all progress, get on the lawyer’s agenda and wait for a memorandum to be produced. It only means a legal review is part of the process.
Maybe you need to find a funding source, maybe you need to determine the second order effects. Whatever you need to do to get to it done, you do but you do it in stride. Keep driving.
Yellow lights are often purposely set up in the bureaucratic system to ensure due diligence takes place. Plenty of people and agencies inject yellow light questions; it’s the bureaucrat’s job. Yellow lights are great and part of the process. They are not in the system to stop the process; they’re yellow not red.
Answer the yellow light questions while continuing the drive. Each time you allow the bureaucracy to stop you, your initiative stalls, and time and resources are wasted.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy Koster
