Governance

Governance That Holds No One Accountable

We know many people who dislike authority. Few of us would admit to liking tight control and restriction on our lives. Most of us prefer flexibility and freedom and the ability to use our judgement.

It’s also how humans learn how to make progrEss.

So ‘governance’ as a word and a concept is likely to be one of the most unpopular words in an organiSation. Too often it’s seen as synonymous with restriction, bureaucracy, and excessive control. It’s pretty unusual to hear positive experiences of how governance is applied in most organiSations and very common to hear outstandingly dumb examples.

The larger the organiSation, the harder it is to avoid ending up with oceans of policy and procedure countered with informal work arounds.

The intention may well have been genuine — apply consistent practices, make sensible decisions, take responsibility for actions — the reality is likely to be paralysis across the organisation.

Agile working is the aspiration of many but the majority are still wrestling with what it means
If we accept that governance is about making sure the right things get done and in a way that fulfil obligations — whether to stakeholders, legislators or the public — then we had better make it very clear what we mean by that.

And then equip those doing the work with the ability to deliver. Then get out of the way of things happening.

This works best when everyone really gets the vision, where the values of the organiSation live within everyone and where everyone is committed to a set of shared principles.

Then empowerment can happen.