You Don’t Scale Mess.

There’s a reason I called my business The ERG Movement. It’s because we’re in a moment—a turning point—where ERG programs need more help than ever. Leads are burned out. It’s harder than ever to recruit new ones. Engagement is low (if it’s being measured at all.) And worst of all, there’s widespread confusion about the core purpose of ERGs. According to the 3Ps I talk about constantly (Purpose, Process, and Programming). Purpose should be the very first thing we figure out. But most programs can’t even articulate that clearly. And honestly, this is one of the reasons I don’t love the term “ERG.” It blurs what these programs are actually for. For some reason, many leaders are afraid to admit the obvious: that community is at the heart of every strong ERG. Because if it’s not about building an internal community—rooted in belonging, identity, and connection—then what are we even doing? At that point, we’re not talking about the same thing anymore.

Not to mention, if your ERG program is still struggling with clarity, structure, and engagement, giving it a new name doesn’t solve the problem—it compounds it. What looks like “progress” on paper often turns into scaled dysfunction behind the scenes. And worse, it can lead to real political and legal risk.

You don’t hand give someone more responsibility because they’re struggling…you help them build the muscle to handle what they already have.

Oftentimes, BRG are escalation without stabilization. Mess, multiplied.

P.S. As of 2022, only 16.6% of Fortune 500 companies with ERGs used the term BRG. Even the term “BRG” itself has unclear origins. So if the name lacks consistency, the data is unreliable, and the outcomes aren’t clearly better—what exactly are we chasing?

The BRG label won’t make your program better. It won’t fix burnout. It won’t create structure where there is none. And it definitely won’t protect you from political, legal, or reputational fallout if things go wrong.

If your ERG program is already thriving—if it’s delivering high engagement and impact with low operational lift, if it’s backed by solid documentation and strong leadership, and if your stakeholders are aligned and accountable—then yes, expanding the scope (without diluting the core) may make sense.

But if your program is still trying to find its rhythm, then adding the pressure of business alignment without first building internal alignment is not a step forward.

Before you scale, stabilize.

Before you rebrand, reassess.

Before you evolve, master the basics.