The Problem with the Usual Suspects

Most ERGs have a group of people who seem to be everywhere.

They attend meetings, volunteer for events, contribute ideas, welcome new members, and step in when help is needed. Their involvement creates continuity and momentum. In many cases, the ERG would look very different without them.

At the same time, their presence can make it difficult to see what is happening around them.

Many ERGs have members who care about the mission of the group but participate differently. They attend occasionally. They read updates. They stop by events when their schedule allows. They may value the ERG and still remain largely invisible to its leadership.

This can create a misleading picture of engagement.

When the same people consistently contribute, it is easy to assume they are simply the most interested members. Sometimes that is true. Sometimes they are the people who were asked first, welcomed early, or given an opportunity to contribute before others knew one existed.

Participation is rarely distributed evenly. Nor should it be.

People engage in different ways and at different stages of their careers, lives, and workloads. The challenge arises when involvement becomes predictable enough that responsibility and visibility begin concentrating around the same small group.

Over time, newer members can come to see the ERG as something led by other people. Opportunities to contribute may exist, but if they are not visible or accessible, they are unlikely to be discovered.

This is one reason participation deserves attention beyond attendance.

A member's first contribution is often much smaller than their second or third. Someone might begin by sharing an idea, helping with a single event, introducing a speaker, or welcoming a new member. Those experiences build familiarity with the group and confidence in their ability to contribute.

When those opportunities are present, participation tends to expand naturally.

When they are absent, the same people often remain responsible for the same work year after year.

Evaluating engagement requires paying attention to movement.

• Who participated for the first time this year?

• Who has become more involved over the last six months?

• Who is contributing in ways they were not previously?

These shifts are easy to miss, but they often tell an important story about the future of the ERG.