Hidden Bias Chains In Leadership - How We May Have Biases We Are Completely Unaware Of

Most of us have heard the word "Bias" before.

We all have some Biases, even when we understand that a Bias is a tendency to favor or oppose something or someone in a way that is unfair, inaccurate, or closed-minded.

We all try to admit that we do not, but in Reality, we "All" have some Biases to some extent and we cannot escape that.

However, there is a Difference between "Having" a Bias and allowing a Bias to dictate our Actions and Beliefs.

What I mean here is that we may have an "Initial" Tendency toward something or someone, but we do Not have to "Act" on that Tendency.

To Accomplish this, we must "Know" what our Biases and Tendencies are.

This can be Extremely Tricky though as sometimes, we hold Biases that "Chain" Together in ways that we are Unaware of.

I have talked about things like Stress Chains, Growth Chains, and Success Chains in the Past, and Bias Chains work very similarly.

Sometimes these Chains can Jump Across Different, Seemingly Unrelated, Topics and Impact our Decisions Unconsciously.

How does this Work?

Well, let's look at a Specific Example.

Could How you Perceive Your Own Weight Impact how you Hire?

I know you're thinking that how you Perceive your Weight has "Nothing" to do with Hiring...

But what if it Does Unconsciously?

Well, there is something that is Extremely Common Among People called, "Weight Bias Internalization".

What this means is that many people blame their behavior for their weight, rather than also taking into account the "Many" factors that contribute to their weight.

Simply - Most People Blame Themselves for their Weight Perceptions.

The Top Reasons "Believe" they are Overweight include: Overeating, Not Exercising Enough, High-Fat Diets, Poor Nutritional Knowledge, and Lack of Willpower.

Now, if you take a Deep Dive into Research around Weight and Nutrition, you'll find that there are Over 100 Factors Involved in Obesity.

Many of those Factors have "Nothing" to do with Our Behavior, and often are Outside of Our Control: Media Impacts, Social Impacts, Economic Impacts, Infrastructure Impacts, Biological Impacts, and Medical Infrastructure Impacts.

Not to Mention the Research that has Shown some of the Above "Beliefs" to be Complete Myths.

Despite this Reality, Most People still have a Weight Bias Internalization.

So what does this have to do with Hiring?

Well, those with a Higher Weight Bias Internalization (ie You Blame Your Behavior for Your Weight) "Also" have a Bias to Judge Others Exactly the Same.

This is the Beginning of the Bias Chain.

Even "if" Your Behaviors "were" solely to Blame for your Weight (which, given the Evidence is Unlikely), that does "Not" mean Others' Behaviors are Solely to Blame for their Weight.

In fact, there is a High Level of Research that has Shown that Lack of Sleep, High Dis-Stress, and Lack of Social Interaction "Also" Negatively Influence Weight Gain.

Those Three Things could "Solely" Be Blamed on Leaders who are Overworking Employees, especially when Employees are Already in Burnout as 80% of Employees Are.

However, let's get back to the Topic of Hiring.

So, if You have a High Weight Bias Internalization, then You are Likely to have that Same Bias toward Others.

Unconsciously, this means that You Believe that Someone's Weight is based on Their Choices, which means Subconsciously You Believe they make Poor Choices in their Life.

That is the Next Link of the Bias Chain.

Not only is the Bias that Our Behaviors are Solely to Blame for Weight Unfair and Inaccurate, but it is "Further" Unfair and Inaccurate to Associate Behaviors Around Food or Fitness to "All" Aspects of Life.

I have met "Many" Individuals who made Amazing Decisions in One Aspect of Life, but Horrendous Decisions in Other Aspects of Life.

Behavior in One Area does Not necessarily Translate to Other Areas.

Yet, we often Unconsciously "Have" this Bias.

So, this brings us to Hiring.

You get a Piece of Paper with Someone's Resume.

All of the Information Looks Amazing on Paper.

You bring them in for an Interview and Notice they have a Couple Extra Pounds Over Today's "Societally Acceptable Standard" (Which is Horribly Disordered and Sick in most cases).

Immediately, without even "Realizing" that it has to do with "Your" Own Perceptions of Your Weight, you begin to Believe that this Candidate makes Poor Life Choices.

With how our Brains Psychologically Work, what we Focus on, we Find More Of.

Since you are Unconsciously "Focused" on the Biased "Belief" this Candidate "Makes Poor Life Choices", you Find Examples where that is True.

...Or perhaps more accurately, you are "Seeking" Examples to Unconsciously Justify your Hidden Bias Chain.

Now, this Candidate May be Absolutely Amazing in Every Single Aspect of their Life, including Dietary and Fitness Decisions, but Your Bias Chain has Tainted the Entire Hiring Conversation.

You Choose to Pass on this Candidate.

Then, Another Resume comes in, and it is "Alright".

"Good Enough" for an Interview at least.

They come in and they have... "Something" about them.

You can't Name It in the Moment, but it may be this same Bias Playing Out.

Instead, this Person fits into the "Socially Acceptable Standard" of Weight (which, again, is Horribly Disordered and Sick in most cases).

Now the Bias plays in Reverse.

You begin to Unconsciously "Seek" Examples of "Good Life Choices" this Individual has Made.

You Dismiss Potential Red Flags as things like "Growth Pains" or "Momentary Mistakes", when the Reality could be that these Red Flags are "This" Candidates "Norms".

You decide to Hire this Individual, only to Later Discover that You "Should" have paid Attention to the Red Flags.

The Candidate You Overlooked Before?

They got Hired by your Competitors and are now having an Amazing Career.

Now, this is just "One" Example of a Bias Chain.

Bias Chains play out like this in Life "Very" Frequently.

There are also "Many" Types of Bias Chains that Exist.

As Leaders, we "Must" Understand the Bias Tendencies we have, and Seek to Overcome them.

To "Truly" Overcome Bias Tendencies, we must come to Understand the Unconscious Chains these Biases may Create.

That is the Only Way to Truly Make Wise Decisions as Leaders.