Overcoming Unconscious Bias

We all have preconceived ideas, judgments, and biases that affect how we see others. Unconscious bias is a challenge for leaders because it can influence us to pigeonhole the people we lead instead of seeing their potential and what really motivates them.

Take a moment to test your own unconscious biases. Imagine hearing that your company has just hired a new chief technology officer. According to your first instinct:

·??????Is it a man or a woman?

·??????How old is the new CTO?

·??????How tall is the new CTO?

·??????What is their skin color?

·??????What car is the new CTO driving?

Did you imagine that the new CTO was a short Brazilian woman in her sixties, driving a big Ford pickup truck? Or did you imagine a tall Caucasian man in his early forties, driving a Tesla?

Unconscious biases make us assume people’s traits and behaviors and may prevent us from seeing what really is in front of us. While it is essential that we make use of experience, we need to balance this experience with an open mind. Facts may have changed, circumstances might be new, and people might surprise us.

Our minds create our reality

From a neurological perspective, when we see something for the first time, we create a mental image of it. The next time we see the same thing, or something similar, within split seconds the mind brings up the mental image—and that is what we see.

This is called habitual perception. Our mind loves to organize and label people, objects, and ideas. On the one hand, this can be very useful. It makes us effective in navigating a complex reality. Life would be overwhelming if every time you saw someone you had to think about who they were and how to relate to them.

?Who you see in front of you is determined by your history

On the other hand, this tendency has a downside. The way you see your people is much less determined by who they are and much more by your history. Such an approach is not beneficial to your ability to truly understand your people. If you see your people in only one way, your expectations of them will be limited. Consider what unconscious biases you might have about your team members or other colleagues. What fixed ideas are playing in your mind when you meet with them? Do you tend to listen more attentively to men or to women? Do you find it easier to trust younger or older individuals?

While we cannot prevent our minds from creating categories and labels, we can train ourselves to notice when it happens. Such repeated practice triggers a shift in cognitive control to the frontal brain regions. This enables us to perceive our world, our emotions, and other people from our conscious mind instead of relying on automatic reactions. When we’re aware of what we’re experiencing, we can make good judgments which thoughts and emotions to focus on and which to let go, and we can lead others more effectively.

?Expand your awareness to avoid the unconscious bias trap?

1.?????Take a moment to think of five people you interact with and ask yourself what unconscious biases you have of them. When you acknowledge and understand these biases, your awareness expands, and you begin to see with fresh eyes, moment by moment. You are training yourself to be fully awake and alert to everything you perceive. This allows you to overcome these biases and more effectively engage your people.

2.?????Bring a challenge to mind – a challenge related to how you see yourself, how you see another person, or how you see a difficult situation.

For a few moments, close your eyes and hold the challenge in your mind.

Take a deep breath and relax.

Now ask yourself the following questions:

·??????Does any unconscious bias color my perception of the challenge?

·??????Do any emotions hold me back from seeing the challenge neutrally?

·??????And what would the situation look like from another person's perspective? Would it be the same or something different?

Let these questions open your mind and help you to reframe the challenge.

Adapted from?The Mind of the Leader: How to Lead Yourself, Your People, and Your Organization for Extraordinary Results. By?Rasmus Hougaard?and?Jacqueline Carter.