Project Governance In An Agile World – Part 5

First, I would like to apologize for not adhering to the original release schedule for this series. I’ve been immersed in developing some exciting new online coaching and training programs, and I’m eager to launch them in the coming weeks. It’s a busy time, but the energy is high!

This week, let’s dig into project governance—a topic that keeps coming up, whether you’re working in traditional or agile environments.

The chapter I just finished reviewing provides detailed information about governance models in projects. Honestly, though, a lot of it repeats earlier points about steering committees—how they set the rules, decide on governance models, and make the major decisions on project direction.

But here’s the rub: In an agile world, this top-down approach doesn’t really fit. Agile is all about self-managed teams, where decision-making is pushed down to the people closest to the work. Yes, leadership still makes key decisions based on input from the team, but it’s handled in a distinctly different manner. The chapter gives a quick nod to agile, mostly focusing on delivering small pieces of the product in short bursts. As I’ve said before (and as we’ve discussed in our webinars), that’s just one slice of what agile really means—and it’s a big reason why 95% of organizations don’t truly evolve their agile practices.

Traditionally, the project manager is the go-to person for everything and often bears the brunt of the blame when things go awry. In agile, though, responsibility is shared. The whole team is accountable, and everyone has a voice. The real difference? Leadership’s role shifts from command-and-control to servant leadership, supporting the team instead of directing every move. When leaders stay hands-off or uninvolved, that’s the biggest roadblock to real agile success.

If organizations continue to cling to old-school governance, they’ll continue to encounter the same problems: slow decision-making, a lack of team ownership, and missed opportunities for innovation. Agile isn’t about chaos—it’s about smart, empowered teams making decisions quickly and learning as they go. That only works if governance adapts to.

Next, I’ll cover the final two chapters of the book and provide a comprehensive overview of what project governance entails in an agile world.

Want to chat about how to build governance that actually supports your agile teams? Curious about our new coaching programs or want to keep the conversation going?
Book a Strategy Call. Let’s talk about making governance work for you, not against you.