Staff-Led Groups Cannot Anchor Your Accountability Strategy
When creating organizational accountability for racial equity efforts, avoid over-relying on staff-led groups.
I have seen many organizations struggle to embed accountability in their organizational or team decision-making. This week, I am writing about the intersection between accountability planning and staff-led groups. Over the years, I have seen organizations depend on internal DEI groups, councils, or affinity/alliance-centered employee resource groups (ERGs) to guide efforts to increase awareness, make policies, and connect staff.
I think these groups can be compelling places of connection for staff. As noted in a blog post entitled Simply Hiring People of Color Is Not a Racial Equity Strategy by Lily Eisner, “Often when organizations hire people of color, they expect that these individuals will not only do the job they were hired to do but will advance the organization down the path towards a vision of racial equity.” The most common way staff input helps drive organizational DEI activities is through staff-led groups. However, when we think about creating accountability for DEI efforts, it is essential to consider how staff-led groups are situated within organizations and existing power differentials.
Is it equitable to ask staff-led groups to play this role?
Power Imbalances Should Not be Ignored
Most of the time, staff-led groups are not positioned to hold an organization’s leadership accountable for its decision-making. At best, it is within the power of staff-led groups to do the following:
👉Ask important questions in terms of the organizational commitments — the equity what.
👉Make recommendations about policies, practices, and protocols.
👉Hold a gathering place for staff for shared learning and connection within affinity or alliance groups.
The Need for an Intentional Structure
Creating accountability mechanisms beyond what I have shared above requires a supportive structure, meaning the group has to be designed with accountability in mind — almost a union. Some internal councils are structured this way, with a built-in seat at organizational decision-making tables. That type of structure can offset some of the inherent power differentials. That is a different structure than a staff-organized advisory group. As I have noted before, it is important to consider where accountability occurs within decision-making.When creating accountability for DEI efforts, we must consider how staff-led groups are situated within organizations and the power differentials that impact the staff participating.
For Helpful Tools:
Check out my post on:
3 Strategies to Add Accountability to Your Decision-making
Other resources:
Simply Hiring People of Color Is Not a Racial Equity Strategy
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