13 Things ERGs Must Let Go of Now

<p>[[youtube:30lotEsBRNc]]</p> <p class="lead">ERG programs carry too much baggage: outdated structures, performative practices, and assumptions that no longer serve the mission. Here are 13 things every ERG should stop doing immediately—plus what to replace them with.</p> <h2>1. Vanity Metrics</h2> <p>Stop counting members, event attendees, and social impressions. They tell you nothing about whether your ERG is changing outcomes for underrepresented employees. Replace with <a href="/blog/calculate-erg-event-engagement-score">event engagement scores</a> and <a href="/blog/the-member-engagement-scores-mes-of-ergs-explained">member engagement scores</a> that measure real participation depth.</p> <h2>2. Performative Programming</h2> <p>Events that check a box without changing behavior waste everyone's time. If your programming doesn't include a clear call to action, skill building, or accountability mechanism, kill it. <a href="/blog/most-effective-erg-engagement-strategy">Here's what effective engagement actually looks like</a>.</p> <h2>3. Unpaid Leader Labor</h2> <p>ERG leaders doing 10+ hours of unpaid work per week is exploitation, not passion. If your organization won't compensate, at minimum build <a href="/blog/turn-erg-leadership-roles-into-repeatable-processes">repeatable processes</a> that reduce the load and <a href="/blog/incorporating-erg-work-into-performance-reviews">credit the work in performance reviews</a>.</p> <h2>4. Generic Charters</h2> <p>A charter that could apply to any ERG in any company is worthless. Your charter should name specific goals, metrics, and accountabilities for your group in your context. <a href="/blog/how-to-replace-your-erg-charter">Replace your generic charter with something that actually works</a>.</p> <h2>5. Event-Only Engagement Models</h2> <p>If the only way members engage is by showing up to events, you're missing 90% of your potential impact. Build <a href="/blog/erg-dm-campaign-engagement">direct outreach systems</a>, <a href="/blog/how-can-ergs-improve-member-engagement-outside-of-events">engagement outside of events</a>, and ongoing communication channels that sustain connection.</p> <h2>6. Pillar-Based Leadership Structures</h2> <p>Pillar structures (president, VP, treasurer, secretary) look professional but create bottlenecks and single points of failure. <a href="/blog/why-pillar-based-erg-leadership-structures-are-ineffective">They're ineffective for modern ERGs</a>. Switch to functional roles tied to measurable outcomes.</p> <h2>7. DIY Tools and Manual Processes</h2> <p>ERG leaders shouldn't be building spreadsheets, designing flyers, and managing email lists from scratch. These are operational basics that should be centralized and automated. <a href="/blog/how-to-automate-your-erg-program">Automate what you can</a> so leaders focus on strategy, not admin.</p> <h2>8. Unclear Governance</h2> <p>If no one can explain who decides what, how budgets are allocated, or what happens when a leader steps down, your governance is broken. <a href="/blog/ideal-governance-structure-for-ergs-core-roles-and-responsibilities">Build clear governance</a> that outlasts individual leaders.</p> <h2>9. Weak Executive Sponsor Relationships</h2> <p>An absent sponsor is not a neutral factor—it's a liability. <a href="/blog/exploring-factors-that-contribute-to-low-engagement-of-your-executive-sponsor-with-your-erg">Fix sponsor engagement</a> or find a replacement before the relationship damages credibility.</p> <h2>10. One-Size-Fits-All Strategies</h2> <p>What works for a tech company ERG in San Francisco won't work for a manufacturing ERG in the Midwest. Stop copying templates and start diagnosing your specific context. <a href="/blog/what-belongs-in-your-erg-blueprint">Build a blueprint tailored to your organization</a>.</p> <h2>11. Ad-Hoc Onboarding</h2> <p>New ERG leaders who inherit their role with no transition document, no training, and no context are set up to fail. <a href="/blog/erg-leader-onboarding-15-minute-call">A 15-minute structured handoff call</a> can prevent months of confusion.</p> <h2>12. Over-Incentivizing Members</h2> <p>Swag, prizes, and free food can boost short-term attendance but attract the wrong participants and drain your budget. <a href="/blog/the-dangers-of-over-incentivizing-erg-community-members">Over-incentivizing creates fragile engagement</a>. Build belonging instead.</p> <h2>13. The Belief That Passion Sustains Everything</h2> <p>Passion is the starting point, not the engine. Systems, structure, measurement, and support sustain ERG programs. Passion burns out when it's not backed by infrastructure. <a href="/blog/erg-program-structure-is-the-real-work">Structure is the real work</a>.</p> <p><strong>Related:</strong> <a href="/blog/5-signs-you-need-a-new-erg-structure">5 Signs You Need a New ERG Structure</a> · <a href="/blog/dont-scale-mess-clean-up-erg-program">You Don't Scale Mess</a> · <a href="/blog/is-your-erg-program-too-lax-to-last">Is Your ERG Program Too Lax to Last?</a> · <a href="/blog/what-makes-an-erg-sop-actually-usable">What Makes an ERG SOP Actually Usable?</a></p>