Understanding Modern Organisational Structures
Why do our organisations turn into overly complex creatures, overdressed with complex processes and governance? Could it be that we inadvertently overcomplicate things to feel safe when designing other people’s work? What if – we trusted people to build and maintain their own processes?
The Role of Transparency in Agile Governance
Incorporating transparency and inspection can go a long way in ensuring the efficacy and efficiency of these processes. Transparency, Inspection, and Adaption are not only the pillars of empiricism but are also foundational to the Agile framework, Scrum. These elements promote a continuous feedback loop, ensuring that processes remain relevant and effective over time.
Balancing Governance and Creativity
When it comes to building and maintaining processes within an organisation, governance is important. Agile governance, however, posits that it’s equally important to keep governance at a minimum. The primary purpose of governance should be to facilitate freedom for people to evolve their processes while safeguarding the organisation.
Take care that governance doesn’t morph itself into a means of controlling people or stifling creativity. Instead, agile governance should provide guidance and support for those who are building and maintaining the processes they need to succeed in supporting the business. This approach should be flexible and adaptable, allowing people to experiment with new ideas and approaches.
The Agile Take on Corporate Governance Principles
The basic principles of corporate governance — accountability, transparency, fairness, responsibility, and risk management — align closely with agile’s value-centric approach. While traditional governance focuses on structure and rigidity, Agile suggests a more dynamic, value-driven methodology that can lead to better outcomes for all stakeholders.
Adaptability: The Heart of Agile Governance
It’s important to recognize that there are no permanent solutions in dynamic systems. As people and processes evolve, so should agile governance. This means that organisations need to be open to change and willing to adapt as needed.
By keeping governance at a minimum, remaining flexible and nimble, and focusing on facilitating freedom for people to evolve their processes, organisations can unlock the full potential of their employees. This empowers people to be more creative and innovative, leading to better outcomes for the organisation as a whole.
Leading with Vision: Governance Shapes Culture
At the top—be it senior management, C-level roles, or board members—the choices you make set the tone for the entire organisation. Governance isn’t just about rules; it reflects leadership and directly molds company culture.
For top leaders and board members, evolving your leadership is paramount. Being an Authentic leader that don’t merely direct; but inspire and fuel growth. By championing change and innovation, you can propel your organisation to new heights. Lead with vision.
Conclusion
Governance is important for building and maintaining processes within an organisation. Agile governance, however, emphasises the need to keep it minimal, focusing on facilitating freedom for people to evolve their processes while safeguarding the organisation. Organisations should be open to change and willing to adapt as needed, recognising that there are no permanent solutions in dynamic systems. With the interplay of governance and leadership being so vital, top-tier leaders have the unique opportunity to set the pace. By pursuing an Authentic leadership style and ensuring agile principles in governance, they can forge a path that values both structure and innovation. By doing so, they can unlock the full potential of their employees and achieve better outcomes overall.
How do you keep your governance (dare I say) agile?
Don’t Let Others Dictate Your Leadership Style – Become an Authentic Leader
