How Can I Address Governance Concerns with My IT Team?

Honestly, this sounds more like a leadership issue than a personal one. If your manager supports the governance process, they should be advocating for it, not you. If they’re not on board, you might need to get higher ups involved to clarify the policies and why they’re important. Otherwise, you're just left shouting into the void.

It helps to clarify the context first. Are you stepping in at the last moment and blocking their deployments, or are you collaborating from the beginning? Getting involved early can build rapport and make governance less of a sore spot. Sharing your thoughts before any major decisions are made might help, too.

Governance is often a dirty word, but you can change the conversation! Pitch it as a way to reduce stress—think less late-night calls, fewer angry users, and no more blame games. All of a sudden, it sounds like a safety net rather than a hurdle. That might get them on board!

From what you've said, it seems like there’s a gap in upper management support. This shouldn't just be on you to manage. Procedures work best when enforced by those in charge, so it might be worth bringing this up to your manager, who should be the one addressing how governance is handled.

You could suggest arranging an external audit while you take some time off. This way, they’ll have to engage with the necessary documentation without you having to push it yourself. It'll make them realize how important proper governance is when they’re in charge of it themselves!