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Empower Culture Champions and Build Bridges through Your Employee Networks

Posted by Deanna Singh | Feb 25, 2019 9:45:00 AM

 

Your organization is the epitome of diversity on every level and your plethora of employee resource groups (ERGs) should be celebrated for their inclusion events. 


Those diversity-inspired talent requisitions on career boards reflect the impact your company culture will have on newly hired talent. Even your brand awareness strategy has gained customer loyalty from a select group of leads and team members seem onboard. As a leader in your organization, you appear to be doing everything correctly. Yet, you are discovering that your role requires a more concerted action to sustain and promote such an inclusive culture and drive business results, all at the same time.

In these moments, you realize that your company culture is unquestionably the foundation of your company.  You can’t do it alone. So, where do you turn from here?

Seize the moment to actualize the true purpose of your leadership role: build more leaders!

 

ERG Leadership: The Power of Metamorphosis

 

from social network groups to think-tank leadership groups

The purpose of your ERGs must transform from its existence as social networks to powerful think-tank leadership groups, targeting your business culture and value. Employee resource groups that serve only as social networks will do little to strengthen the voices and identities of those who must represent the leadership of America’s future. In order to begin this transition from social network to think tank, each member must realize their purpose and trust that their organization truly values their diverse talents, voice, and identity.

 

Create Alliance Builders: Empower ERG Members to Build Connections Across Variances in the Workplace and Beyond

Instead of exclusive meetings within each represented resource group, encourage cross-group connections and plan events that persuade:

  • Employee voices to be heard across exclusive groups;

  • Diverse thinking to influence the new ground-rules that will define the workplace of the future.

breaking barriers, building bridges

In doing so, you develop future leadership champions within your organization that will be capable of working with diverse team members and value their purpose. 

Purposefully strengthen this transformed ERG alliance team of leaders to build those bridges across your organization in order to impact inclusion and extract diversified talents.

 

Maintain culture, champion momentum

It is easy to simply focus on the positive results and forget to maintain the process that led you to success. So, make sure to add these key steps to your actionable leadership goals:

  • Give praise to your leaders-in-training throughout the development stage;

  • Communicate directly with your team members;

  • Be the example of change that you want to see;

  • Challenge your culture champions and recognize their limits;

  • Maintain a consistent feedback loop;

  • Provide your champions with opportunities for growth.

  • Empower members through keynote speakers and leadership events.

Building bridges through these processes enable members of your ERGs to develop into leadership roles that can reinforce your company culture and business values, to both your employees and clients.

 

expand marketplace reach: diverse talents = diverse leads 

It is a known fact in marketing that diverse talents and ideas will reach a diverse audience. Procuring diverse talent and maintaining a true sense of value for their diverse ideas will help boost your brand awareness and expand customer loyalty to new leads that you may not have considered before.

 

Always remember: Impactful leaders don’t simply create followers. They are destined to create more leaders.

 

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Topics: Employee, Skills, Career, Culture, Networking

Written by Deanna Singh

Deanna Singh is a business consultant, speaker, and podcaster who is internationally recognized for her work in leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Deanna helps her clients create more equitable and inclusive work environments and engage more authentically within their internal and external communities. A gifted communicator, she is a champion for marginalized communities through her work. Her podcast, Uplifting Impact with a focus on looking at the intersection of Leadership and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, focuses on solutions and is directed at people who want to break the status quo. Singh earned her Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Fordham University, a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University, a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and certification in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Cornell University.

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