weekly notes #10 - ideation & unconscious biases

During the ideation phase, you can achieve an automated-pilot mode which may result in less polished use of language and less refinement in how we transmit ideas to our team members. At such times we may fall prey to the unconscious bias catch.

Unconscious biases, wow, they're those hidden attitudes and stereotypes that sneakily shape how we make judgments and decisions. They can seriously put a damper on creativity and teamwork, especially when it comes to including and uplifting minorities. It's like they lead us down a path of unfairness, favoritism, and shutting out diverse perspectives.

Let me share with you five of the most common unconscious biases that hold back innovative ideas in participants of our courses:

1. Confirmation Bias: You know when we seek out info that supports our own beliefs and ignore anything that challenges them? Yeah, that's confirmation bias, and it's a real innovation killer.

2. Similarity Bias: We tend to favor ideas that mirror our own experiences, dismissing diverse voices and missing out on those fresh, out-of-the-box ideas we desperately need.

3. Stereotyping Bias: When we slap labels and assumptions on people based on stereotypes, we're basically ignoring their unique talents and contributions. Not cool, right?

4. Halo Effect: One trait, just one, and we make sweeping judgments about someone's entire being. It leads to overestimating or underestimating their ideas and abilities.

5. Groupthink Bias: You know how we sometimes go along with the crowd to keep things harmonious? Well, that's groupthink bias, and it squashes those dissenting voices that could bring real innovation to the table.

So, how do we stop these sneaky biases from ruining the creative party? Well, my friends, it all starts with awareness and taking intentional action. Here are a few strategies to keep in mind:

1. Embrace inclusivity: Create an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and respected, where everyone's voice is heard and valued. This does not come naturally. You will need to craft some moments and design sharing spaces before it really picks up in the group.?

2. Dive into diversity and candidness: Educate yourself and share with your team about unconscious biases and how they affected your ideation flow, and also discuss how you might find ways to counteract them.

3. Structure your decisions: Use frameworks as the one explained in weekly notes #9 to give structure to your idea generation and selection processes, reducing the influence of biases.

4. Seek out diverse perspectives: Actively invite and encourage input from people with different backgrounds and experiences. That's how you widen the pool of ideas and viewpoints. A playful attitude is catchy, so do not worry people might seem a bit uptight at the beginning.?

5. Regular check-ins: Take time as a team to reflect on biases, discuss concerns openly, and learn together. It's all about self-awareness and growth. There are moments of divergent thinking and converging thinking in innovation processes, and in this dance, we sometimes need to press “pause” to make it until the end of the party.?

Remember, tackling unconscious biases isn't about feeling guilty. It's about being aware and making a conscious effort to foster an inclusive and innovative environment. By recognizing and challenging these biases, we can unlock the full potential of our diverse teams and drive meaningful change through creative problem-solving. Keep on questioning, and keep on growing!

By the way, the Board of Innovation (https://www.boardofinnovation.com/) has worked extensively on this topic and has released a 16 key innovation-specific cognitive biases poster that can help you become consciously aware of the specific biases that impact creativity and the innovation process at work. They can originate from personal biases to group dynamics and politics. They say, “The purpose of this poster is to discuss several?key cognitive biases?and their effects on decision-making within?strategic innovation management?as well as how to minimize their effects so that team members can contribute optimally to the fuzzy innovation process.” Get yourself a copy here:?https://www.boardofinnovation.com/tools/cognitive-biases-poster/?