Governance is the process of providing strategic oversight, leadership, and decision-making to an organization. When we see dysfunction in governance, it is often because misalignment exists among three key components:
- Structure – the power and authority of governing bodies or groups and their relationship to each other;
- Process – the systems and methods employed for groups making decisions; and
- Culture – the beliefs, values, norms, and behaviors that guide the group’s decisions.
Capacity also plays a vital role in governance. Capacity is impacted by the financial and human resources needed to execute a decision, the size of the group, frequency of meeting, and access to information needed for making decisions. When we observe that governance is hindered by its inability to accomplish its work, there is usually a disconnect between the authority of the group, the process it uses to achieve its responsibilities, and the group’s capacity to use the process well.
If any one of these components is not aligned with the others, the group will become extremely frustrated in its ability to think and plan strategically and articulate sound policy. Clarifying and working to enhance the relationship among these important components can improve governance.
How aligned are the components of your governance model?
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