The BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front
If your leadership team isn’t calling out misalignment, they’re not aligned—they’re silent. In this post, I share how a simple tool—a yellow BS flag—transformed my team’s culture by making truth safe, expected, and actionable. You’ll learn the four principles that drive a BS-free leadership culture and a practical framework to bring it to life. Ready to stop the play and reset the field? Let’s talk.
Are You Creating a Space Where Truth Can Lead?
Leadership isn’t about power. It’s about clarity. And clarity comes from candor.
When I stood before my team at a two-day planning retreat, I handed out something unexpected: bright yellow flags with the letters “BS” emblazoned across the front. The room laughed. Then they leaned in. Because they knew something important was happening.
Every football fan knows what a penalty flag means: stop the play, call out the issue, reset the field. But leadership doesn’t come with a referee. It comes with people—imperfect, passionate, and prone to assumptions. That’s why the BS flag matters.
I wasn’t looking for theatrics. I was building a leadership culture where candor wasn’t a risk; it was a responsibility. Where truth wasn’t reserved for postmortems, it was the fuel for progress.
Why We Need a BS Flag in Leadership
It started with a simple idea: when someone breaks the rules, steers the team off course, or avoids the hard truth, someone should be able to stop the play.
Not to shame. Not to win. But to realign.
The problem is, most teams don’t have a way to do that. So I created one. A literal flag, tossed into the middle of the table. A moment to say, “Hold up. That doesn’t add up.”
And it wasn’t just for others. I got flagged, too. Often. And that was the point.
Because when the highest-paid person’s opinion (HIPPO) becomes the default, innovation dies. And no one tells the emperor they’re not wearing any clothes.
Four Pillars of a BS-Free Leadership Culture
To make candor more than a catchphrase, my team and I built our flag-throwing around four principles:
- Safe: There are no penalties for calling penalties. No retaliation. No risk.
- Expected: If no one throws the flag, it means we’re not paying attention.
- Equal: From the CEO to the new hire, everyone plays by the same rules.
- Cultural: This isn’t a gimmick. It’s how we operate. Day in, day out.
When those flags started showing up in staff meetings and on desks, I knew the culture had shifted. Not because it was trendy. But because it was true.
A Real-World Example: The Day the Flags Flew
During that same retreat, we were discussing our goals. One leader suggested we aim for something easy—something we were sure to hit.
Before the sentence was even finished, five yellow flags flew across the room.
The laughter that followed wasn’t derisive. It was relief. Relief that someone had spoken up. That truth had a place. That we wouldn’t settle for mediocrity.
Later that afternoon, I threw a flag on myself. I had said something that contradicted the culture we were building. And I knew it.
How to Start Your Own BS-Free Culture
You don’t need yellow flags (though you can buy them). You need a signal. A structure. A shared agreement that says, “We call it when we see it.”
Here’s a simple protocol you can borrow:
- Throw the flag.
- Say what you saw. “Here’s what I heard or observed.”
- Explain why it matters. “This seems misaligned with our goals or values.”
- Offer a fix—or just name the issue.
You don’t need the solution to name the problem. You just need the courage to raise your hand.
Recommended Resource
If you’re building a culture of accountability, read The OZ Principle by Craig Hickman, Tom Smith, and Roger Connors.
Final Thought: Make the Invisible Visible
Great leaders don’t avoid hard truths. They invite them.
And when you create a culture where everyone is empowered to throw the flag, without fear, without politics, you unlock something rare: a team that doesn’t just talk about trust. They live it.
Let’s make BS-free leadership the standard. One flag at a time.
And if you know a leader who needs this message? Share it.
Ready to Take the BS Out of Your Leadership Team?
If you’re serious about building a culture where candor drives clarity and results, let’s talk. Book a call with me today and discover how to make truth the foundation of your leadership strategy.
Listen to the entire podcast episode where I tell the story behind this article:
FAQs
A BS-free leadership culture is one where candor, clarity, and accountability are expected and encouraged. It empowers all team members—regardless of title—to speak up when something feels misaligned, creating a high-trust environment where truth leads decisions.
Unchecked assumptions, ego, or fear can lead teams off course. Calling out BS helps leaders and teams stop poor decisions in their tracks, realign with core values, and ensure that actions reflect strategic intent—not just hierarchy.
Start with a simple explanation: the BS flag is a signal, not a punishment. Encourage your team to use it when they see something misaligned with your values or goals. Model the behavior by throwing the flag on yourself first. Reinforce that it’s about clarity, not blame.
It’s safe when there’s no retaliation for speaking the truth. Employees must trust that their voices will be heard and respected—even when challenging senior leadership. This trust is built through consistency, transparency, and modeling from the top.
Look for signs like quiet meetings, groupthink, lack of debate, or decisions being made without healthy pushback. If your team rarely questions leadership or avoids tough conversations, a BS flag system can help bring candor and accountability back to the table.
