What is a Governance Review? A Guide to Strengthening Your Organization's Foundation

Last week in Toronto, I had the privilege of working with the Professional Golfers' Association of Canada, facilitating a leadership retreat that was the culmination of a months-long governance review. For many sport leaders, that term—"governance review"—can sound intimidating, expensive, or overly corporate.

But at its heart, it’s simply about asking a fundamental question: Is the way we make decisions today setting us up for success tomorrow?

A governance review is a comprehensive assessment of your organization's structures and processes. It's an opportunity to pause, look under the hood, and ensure your foundation is strong enough to support your biggest dreams. If your board feels stuck, a governance review is often the first step toward getting unstuck. Here’s a look at the journey.

Step 1: We Define Success, Together

Every review begins not with answers, but with questions. I sit down with your leadership to understand your unique context. What are the challenges you feel but can't quite name? What are the opportunities you aren't sure how to seize? We identify the scope, objectives, and desired outcomes together, ensuring the entire process is tailored to your specific needs.

Step 2: We Listen to Your People

You can't understand an organization without talking to its people. This stakeholder engagement phase is critical for building buy-in and uncovering insights you simply can’t see from the boardroom. Through confidential surveys, interviews, and focus groups, we connect with your board, staff, members, and partners. Crucially, we make a plan to hear from a wide range of voices, not just the loudest ones. This often includes seeking out members from equity-deserving groups, whose experiences can reveal so much about your organization.

Step 3: We Examine the Evidence Through a Modern Lens

Next, we dive into your key documents—bylaws, policies, meeting minutes, orientation manuals—but we look at them through a modern governance and equity lens. This isn't just a technical check-up. We ask bigger questions:

• Does your board nomination process actively encourage diversity?
• Are your policies, from safe sport to codes of conduct, truly inclusive?
• Are your decision-making structures transparent and accountable to your members?

We often look externally as well, learning from the best practices of other comparable organizations.

Step 4: We Empower Your Board to Make Confident Decisions

My role is not to dictate your future. Your board holds the fiduciary responsibility for the organization, and it's essential that you own the decisions that come out of this process.

Therefore, I present my findings in a clear report that connects the dots from our research and engagement. I lay out a variety of options—from small tweaks to major shifts—and we walk through the implications of each. I facilitate a safe, open discussion where your team can weigh these options and choose the path that is right for you.

From Review to Renewed Purpose

This is exactly what we did with the PGA of Canada. The leadership retreat was a space for them to digest the findings, decide on a future direction, and build a concrete action plan. They left the session with a clear, tangible path forward.

A governance review isn't about finding fault. It’s a positive and powerful act of renewal. It’s an investment in building a healthier, more effective, and more trustworthy organization that is ready to meet the future with confidence.

A governance review is one of the most impactful things you can do to ensure your organization's long-term health and success.

If you’re ready to strengthen your foundation and set your organization up for the future, let's talk about what this process could look like for you.