ORC Diversity Blog: Taking Counsel About Diversity Councils

Diversity councils, task forces, and employee resource groups often share some of the same members and end up working on similar initiatives, resulting in overextended employees and/or duplicated efforts. It falls to the D&I leader to sort out what the responsibilities of each body should be and help them forge supportive bridges with one another so they can work together efficiently. Sometimes that means the D&I officer has to judge whether all these groups are really necessary or whether maybe they should be disbanded or perhaps reconstituted in another form more fitted to their purpose (especially if the group's purpose has morphed over time).
What has been your experience? Have you faced any of these problems and if so, how? What other, alternative means of engaging line executives in diversity efforts have you found to be effective? Post your comments and see member response at https://www.orcnetworks.com/user/23/blog/taking-counsel-about-diversity-councils-4126.