I’ve come to find that one of the reasons why large organizations see such little progress in moving the inclusion needle is they are constantly reinventing the proverbial wheel.

Let me explain. In too many companies, the C-suite has not yet bought into the idea that a diverse and inclusive talent pool is the only way to stay competitive in a global economy. This skepticism comes at a high price.

On one hand, inclusion programs (even internal metrics and research) get pushed aside with every restructuring or budget cut. Case in point, a client of a large Fortune 500 company recently lamented to me about how after the most recent reorganization, they were starting all over again to ask the different regions about their most pressing diversity-related issues. It’s something in which they had spent considerable resources the previous year. “So you are starting from scratch,” I commented. “Pretty much,” was the executive’s answer.

On the other hand, the fact that in most organizations practically anyone can be part of a diversity and inclusion council, also impedes D&I progress.

Even when the organization has a talented, full-time professional in the official role of leading D&I, there are a lot of individuals who know little about the issue and who have a lot of power. Whether they volunteered to be part of the diversity or the women’s council or any other, or they were asked to serve on these committees, many well-meaning people start this journey to learn more about the topic. They participate in meetings and conference calls where the colleagues who have been working toward building momentum have to explain the most basic concepts and research that have been around for years.

Here’s one I heard recently at the annual D&I council meeting of another Fortune 500 company: “Why do women feel there aren’t any leadership opportunities for them in our organization? Can anyone sit with them and explain the reality?”

Could you imagine going into an annual business planning meeting and asking: “Why do we have to make a profit?”

You may consider it a stretch that I pose these as parallel questions. But think about it. What is more basic for a company than everyone knowing that you are in business to make a profit? And what is more basic for people tasked with assuring inclusion in the same company than understanding that perception is reality — and that you can’t force people to perceive what they don’t?