Governance Culture Has Broken Both Culture and Governance
Let’s dive right in.
Take, for instance, the global climate crisis. You’d think that with wildfires turning more of the map red than a teenager’s acne breakout, governments would be all over this like white on rice. Yet, what we often see is a dazzling array of plastic straw bans. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not advocating for the nose-diving of marine life or increased temperature by even 0.1 degrees, but when it comes to climate change, banning plastic straws is like trying to stop a flood with a teacup. It’s cute, but hardly effective.
Then there’s healthcare—a topic so contentious, it makes the Red Sea crossing look like a walk in the park. Every election cycle, politicians promise to tackle the beast, to slay the dragon of inefficiency, high costs, and unequal access. And yet, here we are, still waiting for our knight in shining armour, who appears to have gotten lost on the way to the castle, probably distracted by a shiny object labeled “Tax Cuts for the Rich.”
Economic inequality? Oh, that old chestnut. It’s as if our leaders have decided that the best way to deal with the gaping chasm between the haves and the have-nots is to give it a nice, decorative bridge. A bridge made of tax breaks for billionaires, that is. Because nothing says “I care about the poor” like ensuring the rich can afford their third yacht.
And let’s not forget about social justice. In an era where social media hashtags have become the new protest signs, you’d think governing bodies would take a hint. Yet, what action we see often amounts to performative gestures at best—naming streets, painting murals. It’s as though they believe systemic racism can be painted over, literally. Sport organizations legislate performance enhancing substances in a heartbeat but are taking years to define transgender rights in sport.
What we’re witnessing is a masterclass in cherry-picking, where the only cherries being picked are those that won’t upset the orchard’s owner. It’s governance by convenience, where issues are not tackled based on their urgency or importance, but on their potential to secure a quick win, to make a nice headline, to get those sweet, sweet likes and retweets.
So, here we stand, at the crossroads of history, watching as our leaders turn governance into a game of Whak-A-Mole, hitting at issues with the softest, most inconsequential mallets available. The question then becomes: When will we demand more? When will we say enough is enough and insist that our governments start governing on the issues that truly matter?
Until then, we’re just spectators at the world’s most frustrating cooking show, where the chefs keep making appetizers, while the main course, the real sustenance we crave, remains uncooked, untouched, and out of reach.
The Culture Problem
At the end of the day, these issues will dictate the benefits that we see in economic, social, and other performance fields across the board. It’s time we start to approach our culture of governance in a way that supports our capacity to attack tough topics, important topics, and relevant topics to our end benefactors and not just what gets us short term wins that benefit the people that keeps us in our role.
There’s a way to perform at a high level in governance culture and it starts with how you measure the experience of those you govern. It includes measuring the experience of those that are governing.
It is ultimately flagged by those that see no improvement year over year.
In the last year our founder has been consulting in many areas including governance of sport, politics, and corporate settings. This article is a more “raw” version of his thoughts on the topic than previous articles.
Want to see how your room is really doing? Try GRW.
Related: Measuring Growth Culture