Effective governance should provide all of the following characteristics to the organization except overt control.

Let's go through each option to understand why:

A. Discipline: Effective governance involves establishing and enforcing rules, regulations, and standards to ensure compliance and order within an organization. Therefore, discipline is an important characteristic of effective governance.

B. Overt control: Overt control refers to direct and explicit control exerted by governing bodies over the organization's operations. While some level of control might be necessary, effective governance focuses more on providing guidance, setting policies, and monitoring rather than controlling every aspect of the organization.

C. Transparency: Transparency is a crucial characteristic of effective governance. It involves openness, honesty, and the availability of information to stakeholders, promoting trust and accountability within the organization.

D. Fairness: Fairness is an essential aspect of effective governance. It ensures that decisions and actions are just, unbiased, and based on ethical principles. Fairness promotes trust and confidence among stakeholders.

E. Accountability: Accountability is another crucial characteristic of effective governance. It holds individuals and organizations responsible for their actions, ensuring that they are answerable for their decisions and performance.

Based on the above analysis, the correct answer is B. overt control. Effective governance focuses more on guidance, policies, transparency, fairness, and accountability rather than exerting direct and explicit control over the organization.