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Excerpt: The Merit Myth — Why Removing Barriers Actually Strengthens Performance

There’s a persistent myth in business: that merit and inclusion are at odds. That if we focus on fairness and opportunity, we somehow compromise excellence.

After three decades in automotive manufacturing, I’ve learned the opposite is true. Removing barriers doesn’t lower standards—it reveals the talent you’ve been missing all along.

True merit isn’t about who fits the culture, who’s connected, or who looks like leadership. It’s about who solves problems, delivers results, and makes the team stronger. When organizations remove systemic barriers and give everyone a fair shot, performance rises—not because expectations are lower, but because more people can finally meet them.

The best-performing companies in our industry are proving this every day: expanding opportunity, demanding excellence, and unlocking competitive advantage.

This is the first in a three-part series exploring how ERG leaders can move from good intentions to exceptional impact. In this post, we’ll examine the evolution opportunity facing ERGs today. Next week, we’ll dive into the three pillars that separate transformational ERGs from social groups. And in our final post, we’ll outline your practical path forward to sustainable success.

This is the first in a three-part series exploring how ERG leaders can move from good intentions to exceptional impact. In this post, we’ll examine the evolution opportunity facing ERGs today. Next week, we’ll dive into the three pillars that separate transformational ERGs from social groups. And in our final post, we’ll outline your practical path forward to sustainable success.

This is the first in a three-part series exploring how ERG leaders can move from good intentions to exceptional impact. In this post, we’ll examine the evolution opportunity facing ERGs today. Next week, we’ll dive into the three pillars that separate transformational ERGs from social groups. And in our final post, we’ll outline your practical path forward to sustainable success.

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