The Value of Governance
We've been talking quite a bit about culture lately. Specifically, how to create a high-performance culture while also balancing well-being.
If you missed my LinkedIn Live Event with @nancydome last week where we explore this topic, you can find the link here: LinkedIn Live Event.
@Nancydome and I discussed the tension created when organizations increase governance, which can often lead to feeling a loss of control by employees. This in turn can lead to reduced feelings of empowerment and engagement. We've all seen the signs, such as additional reviews or approvals and/or used phrases like "they won't let us." Those are signs that the organization replaced (knowingly or unknowingly) the word 'governance' with the phrase 'I don't trust you.' This is governance gone wrong.
Let's be clear what governance is supposed to do - provide clarity. Unfortunately, companies often over-rotate and put in too much governance. Conversely, in the attempt to provide empowerment they can often provide not enough. Too much governance feels like individuals don't have control of their own destiny. Too little and a lack of clarity has everyone bumping into everyone else. The trick is balance.
Balance means that I as an individual understand our collective goal and how I contribute to it. It means, I understand my role in the organization, the role of others around me, and where we have dependencies. It means I understand where decisions are made and who makes them. In each of these areas I understand what I'm accountable for and what I'm not. Most importantly (and this is the secret sauce), for those areas I am accountable, I have complete autonomy to plan, design, execute, etc., to deliver results. When I have this clarity, I spend less time on WHAT I should be doing and more time on HOW I'm doing it.
To illustrate this point, I like to use a football analogy. I am a coach after all. One of the oldest phrases in football is "if you don't know what to do and stand around, you're gonna get hurt." This is why we coach athletes on the play design, where to line up, who to block, how to run your route. As their coach, it's my job to remove as much uncertainty from their mind as possible so that they can…perform.
If we can reframe our thinking and design of governance, we can unleash performance and engagement. The trick is balance. Too much and we remove autonomy to perform. Too little and well…we don't want anyone getting hurt.
