FAIR Model for ERGs: Formal (Harvard Business School)
Let’s continue our journey to making ERGs more playful (and impactful!)
Last week, we talked about Resilience. (from the Harvard Business School article)
This week, I want to talk about a pretty common ERG moment. Someone proposes an idea that feels meaningful and necessary, and then someone else asks, “Should we run this by company leadership first?” The record scratches, people glance around, shifting in their seats. You’re no longer just planning a gathering. You’re negotiating visibility, legitimacy, and risk.
This is the Formality tension. How official should your ERG be? Do you calendar it, brand it, loop in executive sponsors, and polish it for maximum impact for EVERY SINGLE EVENT? Or do you keep some small and informal so people feel safe enough to actually say what they need to say? Both approaches serve a purpose, but trying to make one space do both jobs often creates confusion and quiet frustration.
Formality can bring legitimacy, budget, and influence.
Informality can bring candor, safety, and real belonging.
The ERGs that thrive don’t choose one over the other; they design intentionally for both. Chat rooms or Slack channels AND live, company-wide webinars, and all that falls in between.
Before your next planning session, try asking a different question: “Is this for visibility or vulnerability?” That clarity alone can soften the tension, help you lead with more confidence, and decide how formal the feature actually needs to be.
Next week, we’ll explore Audience…how to center your members without feeling like you’re constantly proving your value to executives.
In the meantime, I’m curious: where has your ERG felt stuck lately? Waiting for permission, or staying invisible? Just hit reply and tell me. We’re building this together.
Weekly Reset
Grab a pen and the corner of a piece of paper. Scribble for three seconds WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED. Open your eyes, add a beak, two feet, and an eye…turn it into a bird.
Yes, really. I know it sounds ridiculous… because it is. Ridiculous. And that’s the point.
Tiny acts of low-stakes creativity are immensely beneficial for cognitive function and energy.
ERG leadership can get heavy. Let this be light.
As you continue building and refining your ERG, if you find yourself in need of programming or facilitation support, I’d be honored to partner with you. The work we do together is energizing, grounded in neuroscience, and designed to actually shift something and not just fill the calendar.
