An executive's biases are affecting decision-making. How can you steer towards unbiased choices?

It's important to self-reflect and understand where our biases are at play. This might come through building in some reflection time (a powerful activity to undertake at the end of each week), or through regular journalling. Seeking the perspective of others can help alert us to our own shortcomings when self-awareness is absent, eg a trusted friend, mentor or peer. Challenging assumptions and deliberately seeking input from diverse perspectives is a powerful way of reducing bias, too.

Biases are a natural part of our brain's function, though many are reluctant to admit it. I often tell my clients, “If you have a brain, you have biases.” Normalizing this helps leaders acknowledge them without judgment. I use the Ladder of Assumptions to help them understand their thinking patterns and introduce common cognitive biases to raise awareness. I Understanding the impact of one's biases is crucial for cultivating a genuine desire to change. Encouraging leaders to regularly ask themselves questions like, “What else could be true here?”, “Could the opposite be true?”, and “Whose opinion am I missing?” helps them pause and critically assess their thought processes and foster more unbiased decision-making..

Some biases are deep rooted especially the values and the beliefs that we have grown up with. Biases hamper the decision making process for the leaders as they may have other personal biases and subjective perspective. A coach will help you to realize (making you self-aware) that your biases are hampering your decision making capabilities. Next, the coach will help you understand the biases that you have and how you can minimize their impact by using techniques like data driven decision process, getting opinion from the peer group, seeking feedback, inviting other perspective and considering alternative viewpoints. Using data and factual information is the best way to counter your biases in your decision making process as a leader.

There is a narrow difference between bias and judgement. Both are based on experience: some clearly remembered, some inadvertently acquired either before accessible memory kicks in (2.5 years) or as an inadvertent consequence of a life lived. All decision making is affected by bias, so my judgement of his decisions are in themselves a result of my own biases. No decision is purely rational.

When helping a client steer towards unbiased choices, I encourage them to look beyond their own experiences. I suggest they gather insights from their network, seek advice from peers in and outside of their company, and review relevant industry analysis. By tapping into diverse perspectives and external data, they can challenge their assumptions and gain a more balanced view.

Data is the great equalizer in decision-making. It strips away assumptions and forces us to confront reality. When we base our choices on solid data, we not only combat personal biases but also invite accountability. Encouraging your team to bring diverse data to the table isn’t just about getting more information; it’s about creating a culture where every perspective is valued and decisions are made with integrity. Data-driven leadership is about making choices that stand up to scrutiny and drive real results.

Relying on data is key to overcoming biases in decision-making. However, it's essential to ensure that the data itself is diverse and comprehensive. Encourage your team to source data from multiple perspectives, especially those that challenge the norm. This approach not only mitigates personal biases but also broadens your understanding, leading to decisions that are both fair and impactful. By grounding decisions in well-rounded data, you build a more resilient and inclusive strategy, driving better outcomes for your organization.

Get a new perspective to make better decisions. Everyone is biased -- that is how our brains work. Diverse perspectives help us identify the bias and deliberately account for it. Surround yourself with people who think differently and aren't afraid to give you honest feedback.

A sense of humility is required to seek and receive feedback. Our response / reaction when others give us the gift of feedback will determine whether they would continue to give us feedback in the future.

Existem 4 Pilares da Administra??o sendo: Planejamento, Organiza??o, Dire??o e Controle. O Feedback faz parte da Dire??o. é uma ferramenta poderosíssima pois, pois corrige possíveis desvios, orienta os melhores caminhos e as melhores decis?es a serem tomadas

Encoraje o executivo a fazer uma pausa e refletir sobre suas motiva??es e suposi??es antes de tomar uma decis?o.Adote um processo de revis?o onde decis?es importantes sejam verificadas por outros membros da equipe ou por um comitê, garantindo que múltiplas perspectivas sejam consideradas. Estimule a prática de pedir feedback regularmente após as decis?es. Isso permite que o executivo avalie o impacto de suas escolhas e aprenda com experiências passadas.

Seeking feedback is essential for overcoming biases in decision-making. Engaging with a diverse group of colleagues ensures that your decisions are challenged and refined. This process not only uncovers blind spots but also fosters a culture of transparency and continuous improvement. Encouraging open dialogue and valuing diverse perspectives leads to more inclusive and balanced outcomes, ultimately enhancing both your leadership and the organization's success.

A key role of a coach is to help leaders recognize the biases and behaviors that may be hindering their success. To do this: 1. Actively listen to their narratives and identify moments where they may have made biased assumptions. Gently challenge them to explain their reasoning. 2. Offer alternative perspectives to broaden their understanding and to consider different viewpoints ("What if x is true") 3. Create a field test that allows them to put their assumptions to the test in real-world scenarios. 4. Practice For example, one leader held a strong negative bias, but through this process, he could expand his perspective and realize that his viewpoint wasn’t the only valid one. This shift helped him make more balanced decisions.

I would add that when I'm working with an executive who may be facing biases, I focus on creating a space where they can openly question their assumptions. I guide them to explore the root of their beliefs and challenge them with scenarios that push their thinking. This helps them break free from limiting perspectives and opens up pathways to more inclusive and well-rounded decision-making. By encouraging self-awareness and critical thinking, I aim to foster a mindset where they consistently evaluate their assumptions, leading to more balanced and effective leadership.

I make a conscious effort to give others permission to challenge my views, perspectives and assumptions. I openly admit that I do not have all the answers, and my opinions are limited by my understanding. A greater collective of diverse opinions may lead to a better outcome especially if the situation is novel and complex.

As Executive Coach, one of our jobs is to give different perspective for our clients, so they can see things with fresh look and better understanding of the situation and make better choices. Challenge them to see things from others perspective, and partner with them along the process. It help them clarity things and situation and bybthe end of the process they will able to challenge their perspective and ideas and refine them according to situation

First, and this is crucial, you must be working with someone who is willing to at least relook those biases. If heels are dug in, the inability to be coached must first be addressed. Past that, I view biases as helpful when they're helpful, and unhelpful when they aren't. Simplistic, but the key is to simply recognize that nearly 100% of your decision-making has a bias influence in there somewhere, so what tools can I use to make sure I consider alternatives? I like to use questions, either I ask them, or they ask themselves, such as: * Could I be wrong? * To what end? * What's your evidence of that? * What's the question you should be asking? * If someone disagreed, what would be their argument? Then critically dissect the answers.

Diversity includes thought processing. I am working on a passion project with two great women leaders I admire and it helps that they think differently than me. As an empath, I strongly value how people FEEL and active listening is a superpower for me. It helps to have people different than me so more can get done that I otherwise would not have thought of. Plus, by including others you can take a more diplomatic approach to decision making and have a more vibrant conversation.

As a professional coach, helping an executive steer towards unbiased decision-making involves introducing diverse inputs to counteract their biases. Advocate for assembling a team with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints. Diversity in age, gender, ethnicity, and professional background can provide a wide range of perspectives and reduce groupthink. Suggest bringing in external advisors or consultants from different industries or fields. Introduce structured frameworks like SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) or the Six Thinking Hats technique. Encourage the executive to create a work environment where team members feel safe. #lifecoaching #executivecoaching #diversify #SWOT #unbiased #decisions

Diversifying input is essential to breaking free from homogenous thinking that can reinforce biases. By surrounding yourself with a team that brings varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, you can guard against narrow decision-making and uncover innovative solutions. Executive coaching can support you in building and nurturing this diversity, ensuring that your decision-making process is enriched by a multitude of viewpoints, ultimately leading to more balanced and effective outcomes.

Consultar uma equipe diversificada, é se beneficiar de uma ampla gama de experiências, conhecimentos e vis?es de mundo, isso ajuda a identificar e mitigar preconceitos inconscientes que poderiam afetar negativamente a qualidade das escolhas feitas.A diversidade promove o surgimento de ideias inovadoras e solu??es criativas. Quando uma decis?o é considerada por pessoas com diferentes forma??es e pontos de vista, é mais provável que se chegue a uma solu??o que aborde o problema de forma mais completa e eficaz.Tomar decis?es com base em uma variedade de perspectivas demonstra um compromisso com a inclus?o e a equidade,trás qualidade nas decis?es, fortalece a cultura organizacional e promove um ambiente de trabalho mais justo e respeitoso.

As an executive coach, you don't have all the answers. You should have all the right QUESTIONS which will help the executive you are supporting consider how their bias impacts their decision making. You can address it indirectly or directly depending on the matter at hand. By reflecting on previous decisions to bring awareness to a pattern of behavior and also highlight blindspots that the executive may have overlooked are helpful to acknowledge. Give the executive the space to ponder their conclusions and why they felt as they did. We are have unconscious bias but we must be aware of combating that bias when it results less than positive outcomes.

Refletir é uma extens?o essencial do planejamento. Aprendi a nunca encerrar o expediente sem dedicar um tempo para planejar o próximo dia, e isso fez toda a diferen?a. Planejar é analisar, simular, e tomar um tempo para considerar alternativas, onde os erros s?o permitidos sem prejudicar os resultados. Dessa forma, as decis?es se tornam mais assertivas e coerentes.