Red Flags, Green Flags

Outline

Red Flags, Green Flags (2024) provides a practical psychological guide to recognising healthy and unhealthy patterns in relationships, friendships, families, workplaces, and personal behaviour. It encourages readers to look beyond attractive first impressions, notice repeated actions, establish respectful boundaries, communicate clearly, and examine whether their own behaviour supports trust and stability.

• Behaviour shows character more reliably than words, so judge people by what they actually do over time.
• Attractive first impressions can hide problems, so look past charm and check how someone really acts.
• Repeated actions matter more than one-off moments, so watch for patterns before drawing conclusions about a person.
• Respectful boundaries and clear communication are signs of healthy relationships, whether with friends, family, or colleagues.
• Examine your own behaviour too, and ask whether your actions build trust and stability for the people around you.

Ali Fenwick is a behavioural scientist, university professor, author, speaker, and specialist in human behaviour and organisational change. He is known for making psychological ideas accessible to a broad audience and for explaining how self-awareness, emotional intelligence, communication, and careful observation can improve everyday decisions.