Manage Unconscious Bias as a Leader - 5 Steps

Did you know that we all have unconscious bias?that affects our thoughts, behaviors, and speech, and we often don't even realize it's happening??

This is because our?brain naturally makes quick judgments and helps us sift through and filter all the information we receive.?

While everyone has unconscious bias, it can become problematic, particularly in a leadership context as it might get in the way of creating an inclusive, diverse and safe environment.

In this week's newsletter and YouTube video, I will share?some useful?information about unconscious bias and the five steps to challenge and overcome it as a leader.?

We will go into more detail about the following:

1| The concept of unconscious Bias

2| Challenges and consequences of unconscious bias in leadership

3| 5 steps to overcome your unconscious Bias

1| The concept of unconscious bias

Unconscious bias is the automatic and unconscious way our brains filter information. The human brain?has the ability to?process 11 million bits of information per second, but our conscious minds can only handle 40 to 50 bits per second. As a result, our brains often take cognitive shortcuts to function effectively in the world.

This mechanism has developed over time based on our survival mechanisms. For instance, our brains?are wired?to quickly determine if someone is dangerous or not (i.e., if they were part of our tribe) based on their visual features like skin color, facial expressions, clothing, and voice. While this is helpful in life-or-death situations, it can lead us to make false and quick judgments in the workplace.

If we judge people within?milliseconds based?on their visual features, we might discriminate against them or harm our relationships. We might interact more positively with people who look and sound similar to?us?and act negatively toward?those who are different.

2| Challenges and consequences of unconscious bias in leadership

Let's discuss unconscious bias in the context of leadership to highlight why it is so?important?for leaders to be more self-aware.?

Here are four examples where your unconscious bias may influence your leadership negatively.

A) Hiring and Promotions

Our natural tendency to favor people similar to ourselves (affinity bias) can impact who we hire for a position and who we promote.

Unconscious bias already plays a considerable role in designing job ads and job descriptions. When sorting through hundreds of resumes, it can be challenging to identify the best candidate. We might unconsciously look for similarities in educational or cultural background on a resume.?

Something similar can happen with promotions. We might unconsciously only provide opportunities to people who feel similar to us because we trust them?a little bit?more without even having to invest in the relationship.?

You want to be more aware of your bias so you don't make these decisions blindly. This can result in a?lack of diversity in the team and workforce, leading?to discrimination and mistrust.

B) Performance Evaluation

Your unconscious bias can affect how you evaluate your employee's performance.?

Subconsciously, you might rate people from certain groups and backgrounds differently based on your filters.?This?can, of course, lead to a lot of frustration and confusion within your team.?

C) Relationships and Communication

Your bias can also impact your relationships and communication with your team members.?You might spend more time with people you feel naturally close to because communication might feel much easier, and relationships?might?develop faster.

As a result, this can impact the team's dynamics and collaboration.

3| 5 steps to overcome your unconscious bias

Step 1: Acknowledge your Bias

We all have unconscious biases,?and biases in itself?are not inherently?bad. As we have learned at the start, we need our automated shortcuts to make sense of the world and focus.

But we all need to acknowledge that these shortcuts impact what we see, the data and information we examine, and how we interpret it.

As a first step, we?have to acknowledge that we have?unconscious bias because only then can we start to challenge it.

Step 2: Educate yourself about bias

It is?important?that you seek?out information about the different types of bias.?

For example,?affinity bias?is one of the most common. It leads us to evaluate people we meet based on their familiarity. We might look for people who act or look similar to us or have a similar background.

Another example is confirmation bias. This bias leads us to look for information that reconfirms something we already believe or want to believe. It's a filter that leads us to only look for information and data that proves our point instead of challenging our point. We won't be able to take a step back to have a neutral look at facts.

Step 3: Spot your Bias

Once you have learned about a few different forms of bias, regularly reflect on situations and whether one of these biases has been at play.?

• Do you tend to avoid certain people??
• Do you talk to some groups of people more than you speak to others??
• Do you avoid certain events or locations??
• Who are the people that you spend the most time with?
• Who are the people that you tend to invite to come for interviews? Are there similarities?

It is important?that you?reflect and start to observe when bias is at play. To make?the unconscious more conscious.

Step 4: Challenge your Bias

Once you understand bias and?can?spot it in situations, you can start?to challenge?it.

Here is an example: If we know that we?have a tendency?to hire certain people or?to only?speak to certain people regularly, we can challenge ourselves to widen our focus and put ourselves in different situations.

You might be unable to change and challenge your first thought because it's an automated process in your brain, but you can challenge the second thought.?

If you make a quick judgment on a person, you can remind yourself, " Hang on, brain! Let me talk to the person first and actually see who they are and what they have to say before I make this judgment."?

Step 5: Widen your Focus

Humans tend to avoid or fear things and other people that are foreign or unknown to us.?

When we encounter an unfamiliar person or situation, our brain senses danger, and we step away even further.?

Instead, we want to expose ourselves more to different people, cultures, backgrounds, areas of work, social settings, etc.

The more we familiarize ourselves with differences, the more normal and natural they will feel. Therefore, we will be less guided by our unconscious bias.

This last step is really about getting comfortable with the uncomfortable.?

Our differences are our advantages. I invite you to be a little bit more open-minded and challenge your unconscious biases.?

Let me know what resonated the most with you. Did you start to reflect on your unconscious bias and when it might get in the way?

Share your thoughts in the comments.