What Are ERGs?

Posted on by Byron Darden

Employee Resource Groups, or ERGs, are stand-alone groups within an organization of employees that share characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, faith, social economics, intellect, lifestyle, or other specific aspects with which members identify.

ERGs are found in 90% of Fortune 500 companies, creating a space where employees with common interests can foster understanding.

ERGs are not meant to segregate or separate employees based on their backgrounds. The purpose is to create an inclusive work environment that values diversity and promotes a sense of unity among all employees.

Common ERGs are:

  • Diversity groups centered around ethnic, cultural, or faith-based backgrounds.
  • Gender groups supporting women, men, or non-binary individuals.
  • LGBTQ+ inclusion groups advocating for the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals.
  • Disabilities groups dedicated to supporting employees with disabilities and promoting accessibility.
  • Generational groups for employees from different age groups, like millennials or baby boomers.
  • Veteran’s groups focused on supporting and recognizing military veterans in the workplace.
  • Parental or family groups, such as working parents or caregivers, assist employees with family responsibilities.
  • Environmental groups are promoting sustainability and environmental initiatives within the company.
DISCOVER WHERE YOU BELONG

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Posted on by Byron Darden

Chances are you gravitate towards those with whom you have something in common. It’s no different when joining the workforce. In larger companies, you are likely to work with diverse individuals. While the work expectations may be clear, many struggle to be understood because of different values, beliefs, gender influences, ethnicity, and/or a host of other differences that distinguish us. Finding common ground and thriving with underlying feelings and past experiences can be challenging and gratifying at the same time.

In the 1960s, African American workers, looking for a way to organize in order to confront the social issue of racial prejudice in the workplace, formed groups where they could come together and tackle issues in their working environment. This was the birth of Employee Resource Groups or ERGs (the first of which was the National Black Employee Caucus at Xerox in 1970).

Since then, ERGs (sometimes called affinity groups) have become common in the workplace. They are a place where those with similar characteristics can gather and discuss issues affecting them. They can provide a united front to bridge the gap between management and employees and between peers. Done effectively, ERGs can provide a unified environment that promotes communication and provides a path for career advancement.

FIND COMMON GROUND

Founder’s Corner

Posted on by Byron Darden

In the advent of the Xerox corporation forming the National Black Employee Caucus, what started off as an effort by the marginalized community to confront racial prejudice in the workplace back in the 1960s, has evolved into what are now called Employee Recourse Groups or ERGs, also barring the name, Infinity groups.

This evolution presents many different ways to identify communities within the workplace that have historically not been distinguished or segmented. We’ve now come to see the value of us all being acknowledged and recognized for who we are, what is unique about each of us and how we are a contribution to the health and welfare of our companies and organizations.

Hi, I’m Byron Darden and welcome to this installment of Leading with Purpose On Purpose. We are going to look at what ERGs are, why they are important to us as individuals and as members of an entity where we want to feel welcomed to participate so we can develop and thrive.

This is especially true of the many immigrants who have come to American soil to seek refuge and opportunity, and in some cases meet their demise. One can say that the American system fails many socially and economically with limited opportunities for some and riches for a select few. And yet, we are living in an unprecedented time when it is no longer incentive enough to just have a job, now the workforce demands to be happy, find fulfillment in order to remain motivated to do our work and engaged by colleagues, managers and leadership.

This puts new pressure on leadership to ensure that employee turnover is kept low, greater appreciation for what are contributing differences in the marketplace by each employee and that engagement is kept high in order for staff to remain inspired to be an asset to the company’s growth and prosperity.

While there is no way to always do right by the workforce, ERGs do offer the possibility of employees gaining the greatest chance to be seen and respected for what they bring to the table.

Action Steps

Posted on by Byron Darden

It’s not what you say. It’s how you say it” – Mae West.

Your voice is an integral part of your personal brand. Recruiters looking to fill a position often eliminate candidates based solely on how they sound over the phone. It’s worth the time and effort to put your best voice forward.

Did you listen to my Founder’s Corner at the beginning of this article series? Would you believe I grew up in the heart of Texas with a strong southern drawl? Once I joined the world of coaching and professional speaking and relocated to the east coast, I found it advantageous to spend time with a voice coach and retrain my voice to reflect my personal brand.

Whether you embark on formal voice training or make a few adjustments, there are steps you can take to hone your voice.

One last example – James Earl Jones has a distinctive voice. Few people know he grew up with a stutter and sharpened his voice onstage. James Earl Jones went from struggling to talk to becoming an icon known for his voice.

My 50+ years of acting and coaching have taught me the importance of a strong voice. Schedule time on my calendar to discuss how your voice is helping or hindering your success (or another leadership topic on your mind).

TAKE ACTION!

The Ideal Pitch

Posted on by Byron Darden

The ideal voice pitch varies from person to person. For men, a lower to middle-range pitch can exude confidence, authority, and masculinity. For women, an ideal pitch is perceived as feminine, expressive, and engaging. While some women tend to lower their voices to fit cultural norms, your job is to find out what works for you and your audience.

Let’s revisit our example about RFK, Jr. and his voice. A survey by the American Scientist found that pitch matters to voters when choosing a leader. Candidates with a lower voice (male or female) were 13% more likely to win office than those with other voice pitches. This bias might be enough to switch favor from one candidate to another in a close election. It would be prudent to choose a candidate based on their message rather than the tone of their voice.

The same rationale can be applied to a CEO, a high-level executive, or an entry-level employee pitching an idea to their boss. When we determine what we need to say, how the message is conveyed can make a huge difference in its impact. Speak with confidence and authority and see how people respond to you.

DISCOVER WHAT WORKS FOR YOU

A Lesson from the Coach’s Corner

Posted on by Byron Darden

At the height of my career as an Olympic coach, I also coached business executives worldwide. The father of one of my students was a partner in one of the seventeen global consulting firms with which I worked. As a leadership consultant, I coached their junior and senior consultants on how to climb the ladder into management and principal roles.

One day my skater’s head coach approached me, lamenting, “Some of my parents don’t take me seriously when I offer advice on how best to support their skaters.” I listen attentively as the coach shares their frustration with the parents.

When my fellow skating coach finishes sharing their challenging relationship with their clientele, I suggest bringing the pitch down in the voice when speaking. My advice isn’t taken well.

That was when I learned a valuable lesson. It isn’t what you say, it’s how you say it. I didn’t heed that warning and missed the opportunity for my advice to be heard. As a result, my coaching partner changed nothing and continued to struggle to be taken seriously.

REACH OUT

Finding Your Speaking Voice

Posted on by Byron Darden

Our audible voice is a powerful tool that allows us to convey our thoughts, emotions, and intentions. However, sometimes we feel the need to improve certain aspects of our voice to make a greater impact on our audience. Whether you are a public speaker, an actor, or simply someone who wants to communicate more clearly and effectively, these transformations will guide you on your journey to finding your voice.

Move Away fromTowards
High PitchLow Pitch
Fast SpeedSlower Speed
High IntensityLower Intensity
MonotoneVoice Variation
RaspyClarity

In the next section, I’ll provide an exercise to help you explore these transitions.

FIND YOUR VOICE

Incorporating the Speaking Voice into Your Brand

Posted on by Byron Darden

An integral aspect of The Executive VOICE is its relationship to personal brand and persona. When branding a product or service, we often think of fonts, colors, images, and logos. Each component is critical in crafting a distinct and impactful written message that resonates with the audience. We can extend our branding further by considering how we present our brand to others through our speaking voice.

While fonts determine the quality and style of the message, colors evoke specific emotions and set the overall mood, and images capture attention and convey powerful messages, your speaking voice does all this and more.

Earlier, we outlined several characteristics of the spoken voice that shape the speaker’s perception (clarity, inflection, intensity, inflection, and rate). Non-verbal communication is also important when people are speaking. Think about how you move your body and hands, your facial expressions, what you wear, and how you interact with your audience. Each of these can reinforce the intended message or cause a distraction.

The cohesive interplay of these factors forms a holistic representation of The Executive VOICE, ensuring a memorable and influential presence.

DETERMINE YOUR BRAND

Crafting Your Voice

Posted on by Byron Darden

Learning to convey compelling messages to your audience takes practice, and the benefits far outweigh the effort required to become an effective speaker.

Communication is an art form that is not only about what you say. It includes how you speak and express yourself, which, in turn, determines how others perceive you.

Aligning your intention with the desired impact is crucial, as how you are remembered when you are not present in the room determines your success. Using your voice, whether in person, virtually, or in print, is about shaping the perception of your character and the way you want to be thought of when your name is mentioned. It delves into the core question of who you want to be.

When your audience hears you speak for the first time, they automatically assess your social and economic status, intelligence level, and willingness to listen to what you have to say.

Perceptions are based on how you ACT:

  1. How authentic you are, the image you portray, and whether your audience can personally relate to you based on your likeness or resemblance to them.
  2. The content of your words, including word choice, phrases, and sentence structure, derived from your experiences, background, understanding, or wisdom that led you to your position.
  3. The timing of your message, including how you verbally deliver the message, derived from your training, education, knowledge, insight, observation, or judgment based on the topic.

Your challenge is bridging the gap between what you say and what your audience hears.

A speaker’s voice plays a significant role in triggering personal and aesthetic biases. Different aspects of the voice impact our perception of the speaker.

  1. The intensity of your voice, including volume and loudness, can evoke certain emotions or convey authority.
  2. The rate at which you speak – the speed and pace – can influence others’ perception of your intelligence and confidence.
  3. The frequency of your voice – encompassing pitch and quality – contributes to the overall impression of your personality and emotional state.
  4. The inflection, which relates to the voice’s emphasis, contrast, and energy, adds depth and nuance to your communication.
  5. The clarity of your enunciation and articulation affects how easily the audience can understand your message and determines their level of engagement with your words.
ACT NOW!

Branding Your Executive Voice

Posted on by Byron Darden

August is about how we show up for others and how that presentation of ourselves impacts those around us.

It is said that you have 7 seconds to make a first impression. Any time you stand in front of a new group of people to introduce yourself or make a sales pitch, you are being judged – how you hold your posture, your appearance, the grip of your handshake, and how you sound.

Your speaking voice can make the difference in whether someone takes you seriously or their attention wanders to the next meeting. Your voice is unique and authentic to you. It is how people perceive you – the most crucial part of your brand.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is running for president, and the first time people hear his voice, they are taken aback. He has a vocal impediment that makes him sound old due to the frequency of sudden involuntary pauses. For this reason, some take his candidacy less seriously as a result. They have limited faith in his ability to be authoritative enough to represent the United States on the world stage. He may or may not have the most suitable ideas or be the appropriate person for the job, and the way his voice sounds makes people pause – which can be an advantage when used strategically.

Some aspects of your voice cannot be controlled, and several others can. You can change the meaning of your words by changing the tempo, quality or pitch, volume, accent, or enunciation. How you speak can make a difference in whether you are taken seriously and whether your message is heard. Your speaking voice is also a vital part of your personal brand.

DISCOVER YOUR VOICE