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My Approach to Governance in M365 - Part 4

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My Approach to Governance in M365 - Part 4

In the previous parts of this series, we explored the foundations of governance, the role of automation, and the importance of measuring success. Now, let’s dive into one of the most critical (and often overlooked) aspects of governance: building a culture that makes it stick.

Governance isn’t just about tools and policies—it’s about people. Without user buy-in, even the most well-designed governance framework will fail. This part focuses on how to engage stakeholders, empower users, and foster accountability across your organization.

The Importance of Culture in Governance

Governance culture is the shared understanding and commitment to following policies and best practices. A strong governance culture:

  • Reduces Resistance: When users understand the “why” behind governance, they’re more likely to embrace it.
  • Improves Compliance: Engaged users are less likely to bypass policies.
  • Enhances Collaboration: Clear rules and shared expectations make it easier for teams to work together.

Engaging Stakeholders

Stakeholder engagement is the foundation of a successful governance culture. Here’s how to get buy-in from leadership and key teams:

1. Connect Governance to Business Goals

Show how governance supports:

  • Operational Efficiency: Reducing redundant efforts and enabling faster decision-making.
  • Risk Mitigation: Preventing data breaches and ensuring compliance.
  • Cost Savings: Optimizing resources and eliminating unnecessary tools.

2. Involve Stakeholders Early

Involve representatives from key departments, such as IT, legal, and HR, in the governance planning process. Their input ensures that policies address real needs and challenges.

3. Communicate Regularly

Keep stakeholders informed through:

  • Dashboards: Share metrics that highlight governance successes.
  • Meetings: Regular check-ins to review progress and address concerns.
  • Stories: Share user success stories to demonstrate the impact of governance.

Turning Users Into Advocates

Your users are your most valuable resource when it comes to building a governance culture. Here’s how to turn them into advocates:

1. Make Governance Relevant

Help users see the personal benefits of governance:

  • Efficiency: “Find the files you need in seconds.”
  • Security: “Keep your data safe and secure.”
  • Ease of Use: “Collaborate without worrying about permissions.”

2. Provide Ongoing Education

Replace boring one-time training sessions with:

  • Micro-Learning: Weekly 2-minute videos or posts in Teams about specific scenarios.
  • Quick-Reference Guides: Share easy-to-follow instructions for common tasks.
  • Interactive Courses: Gamify governance training to keep users engaged.

3. Build a Champions Network

Identify users who are:

  • Influential: People their peers naturally turn to for help.
  • Skeptical: Early critics who, once converted, become strong advocates.
  • Enthusiastic: Employees eager to share their knowledge.

Support your champions with:

  • Early access to new features
  • Special training sessions
  • Public recognition

4. Encourage Feedback

Create channels for users to:

  • Share challenges and successes
  • Suggest improvements
  • Ask questions

Responding to feedback shows users that their input matters, fostering trust and engagement.

Fostering Accountability

Accountability ensures that governance becomes part of your organization’s DNA. Here’s how to make it happen:

1. Clear Ownership

Assign ownership for governance processes to specific roles or teams, such as:

  • IT: Responsible for automation and monitoring.
  • Team Owners: Accountable for group compliance and data integrity.
  • Department Heads: Ensuring their teams follow policies.

2. Regular Check-Ins

Schedule:

  • Monthly Reviews: Address areas of non-compliance.
  • Quarterly Updates: Share successes and refine policies.
  • Annual Audits: Evaluate the overall effectiveness of your governance framework.

3. Positive Reinforcement

Celebrate compliance successes with:

  • Public recognition in company meetings
  • Incentives for governance champions
  • Gamification, such as leaderboards for training completion

Real-World Example: Building a Governance Culture

A mid-sized healthcare organization struggled with governance adoption. Here’s how we turned it around:

  1. Engaged Leadership: The CIO linked governance to patient data security, making it a priority.
  2. Built a Champions Network: Identified 10 champions across departments to lead by example.
  3. Streamlined Training: Replaced annual compliance sessions with short, practical modules.
  4. Measured Success: Tracked metrics like training completion, policy compliance, and user satisfaction.

The result? A 70% increase in compliance and a 50% reduction in governance-related support tickets within six months.

What’s Next?

In Part 5, we’ll explore how to measure the long-term success of your governance efforts. From proving ROI to evolving policies, we’ll cover everything you need to sustain and grow your governance framework.

Pro Tip: Celebrate small wins. Every time a user embraces governance or a team hits a compliance milestone, share it with the organization to build momentum.

Have questions or stories about building a governance culture? Share them in the comments! And don’t forget to subscribe for the final part of this series.

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