Negative Stereotypes? Prove them wrong.

This week I had opportunity to present to a group of industry professionals from a chapter of the American Society for Industrial Security ( ASIS ). I was asked to present on the Protective Services program for Alberta Health Services. My role as the Executive Director for the Centers of Expertise with Protective Services includes leadership of policy, standardization, training and development, physical security, centralized dispatch/communications, corporate investigations and fire/life safety programs. I , of course, was asked to speak due to my current professional role.

I have been reflecting on and studying cognitive biases and stereotypes quite a bit lately as I read the headlines and try to make sense of the undercurrent of hostility that often drives them. Our professional identities can often have stereotypes attached to them, both positive and negative. As a retired cop I have both negatively stereotyped others and been stereotyped myself.

My side gigs and interests as a writer, speaker, student and teacher of leadership, Emotional Intelligence and human behavior (plus being a singer in a darned fine rock and roll cover band - among my many other personal roles) in which I take part, inevitably bleeds in to my current professional role. We are, after all, more than our vocation. We are whole people and to work and live in harmony, our whole selves need to be free to show up in our work environment.

One of my professional opportunities, through my role, includes the ability to speak to new Protective Services Peace Officer recruits about Emotional Intelligence and the personal and professional value of choosing to grow in that area. I take the class through the components of Emotional Intelligence and, hopefully, spark an interest in how developing one's EQ can directly correlate to success in life and career.

At the end of my presentation, speaking about corporate awareness, I ask the class to identify the negative stereotypes that exist within our industry, that being healthcare security and part of the law enforcement continuum. This is an uncomfortable exercise. At first awkward, the negative judgments and derogatory names many of them had experienced start coming out.

I then speak about where negative stereotypes may come from. One of my preferred definitions of stereotype is: a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment."

Negative stereotypes originate with negative experiences. Group think and action can often contribute to the continuation of negative stereotypes.

The irony about judgment and stereotype is none of us like being judged or stereotyped, yet we all do it; the differences are just a matter of degree.

I conclude my lecture with a call to action. The way in which we behave and conduct ourselves are either affirming or refuting the negative stereotype that may exist with the group we are identified with. In their case a Healthcare Protective Services Officer.

"Your choice on how you show up to your job, your relationships, or your purpose ( or as Simon Sinek would put it, Your Why ) can either affirm or refute these stereotypes" I challenge. It is a sobering moment for all of us as we let this truth sink in. I suggest to our class that instead of taking people's judgments of them, based on their profession, personally and get hurt or angry - just prove them wrong.

When I was speaking to the ASIS professionals and relayed these experiences in our training class I was met with a lot of nods and reflective body language. Many in the group had experienced being negatively stereotyped and having stereotyped others.

In a time where negative stereotyping has escalated to violence and hatred, fears and disdain, and destructive us versus them posturing, how we choose to reflect on our judgments and stereotypes of others - and our own choices and actions related to the "group" we may be identified with, can bring about profound positive change.

We can consider the possibility of both negatively stereotyping or being negatively stereotyped by : gender, vocation, age, title, race, religion, sexual orientation, politics, industry, looks and many other "groups" we may be identified with.

When we find ourselves negatively stereotyping others, we should try to examine and suspend the judgments that come from that, and seek out the individual beyond our biased view of them, based on the group they are identified by.

Alternatively, where we are negatively stereotyped? Don't take it personally, prove them wrong.

Let's lead well.