[Didrik Moe]

PMI frameworks place strong emphasis on governance structures, roles, and decision forums. In real integrations, however, outcomes often depend more on leadership behaviour, trust, and informal decision making than on formal models. I would like to explore how much governance really drives success versus how much comes down to how people actually work together during integration?

[Daniel]

Naturally its a bit of both but it is a good point because even with the best governance model in place if the people participating in that governance aren’t actively participating then it wont achieve its aims. After hearing a new attendee of a Steer Group I was chairing saying afterwards that was an exec update and not a Steering Group it made me ponder this point on a regular basis.

In an attempt to drive the right behaviours we have tried various things such as Leader onboarding using retros etc to explain why active participation is so important. We also try to get workstream lead pairs to present on particular outcomes so it isnt always Programme Manager behaviours presenting updates.

So personally I think well structured governance is a must and then try anything you can to then drive the right behaviours

[Micah Goldfus]

If anything, I wouldn’t separate governance from behavior – it’s all one in the same. Ideally the PMO, change management team, and leadership can collaborate to reinforce behaviors and norms through the governance process. The most successful integrations I’ve ever seen have treated every aspect of the integration process as a change management exercise.

[Alexandra Tóth]

Based on my experience, what really matters is how leaders behave and act. Even the best integration with the right governance can be undermined by poor leadership behaviour. So that is why it is crucial to select the right team members with the right mindset, either for change management or for leading integration.

[Donna D]

Agreed with some of the answers. Effective PMI requires BOTH governance and human dynamics, but they play different roles. Formal governance provides clarity on decision rights, escalation paths and accountability, which prevents confusion and delays, especially in complex integrations. However, integration success is often determined by leadership behavior, trust, and informal collaboration, particularly when issues fall outside predefined models.

Governance sets the structure, but how leaders model collaboration, resolve tension, and enable fast, pragmatic decisions ultimately drives outcomes.

[Author]

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