A navigator’s job isn’t steering. It’s telling whoever’s steering the truth about where you are.

Some of the most important roles involve no control at all. A navigator’s whole value is accuracy, including when the accurate answer is unwelcome, because whoever is steering from a comfortable guess is worse off than one working from bad news. Softening the position to keep the mood up is the single thing that makes the job useless. Being trusted to be right matters more than being liked for the report.

If you can see where your group actually stands, say it plainly to whoever is deciding. Give the fact before you give your opinion about it. Resist rounding anything towards what people are hoping for.