When governance is working well, it is almost invisible. Decisions get made, they are recorded, and nobody has to be a hero to keep things on track.

Excitement is a warning sign

Dramatic governance — last-minute saves, emergency meetings, heroic interventions — usually means the ordinary process failed. The goal is fewer crises, not better crisis management.

Rules that outlast moods

The point of a good process is that it works even when people are tired, busy, or in disagreement. It removes the need to relitigate the basics every single time.

Boring is a compliment

If someone calls your governance boring, take it as praise. It means the system is doing its job so quietly that the work itself can take centre stage.