Let’s explore your unconscious biases.
Who would you want in a Human resource position?
Who would you want leading your company?
Who would you want taking care of you your sick child?
And most importantly, why?
At YouMeWe Group one of our cornerstone values is inclusivity. Organizations all over the world pride themselves in being “equal opportunity employers,” and yet those that hire, have unconscious biases. Our biases can get in the way of us consciously contributing.
We all have biases. We are born with them. Babies that are black are attracted to babies that are black; babies that are white are drawn to other babies that are white. This is called the affinity bias, which is the tendency to favour people who are like you in some way.
Although we all have biases, what we need to be aware of is how we consciously minimize the way we treat others based on those biases.
What influences our biases?
Our biases are influenced by life experiences, things other people tell us, media portrayals, institutional influences amongst others. There is an overwhelming amount of information that comes to us at once. Brain researchers estimate the human mind takes in 11 million pieces of data per second through our senses. Our brains, however, can only consciously process 40 bits of information per second. Which means there is a lot of information left to our unconscious to filter through. And this is where our biases start sifting through and come to conclusions.
Does filtering information with our biases make us bad people? No. However, being aware of some of our preferences will help us be more inclusive and increase employee engagement, customer loyalty, collaboration opportunities and accelerate innovation for your organization or small business.
What are Unconscious biases?
Unconscious bias is a quick and often inaccurate judgement based on limited facts and our own life experiences. These judgements can give individuals and groups both unearned advantage and unearned disadvantage in life and the workplace.
People can be biased about anything – not just things like gender, skin colour, or age, but also things like communication styles. I particularly enjoy (ok being a little sarcastic) when someone says “you are this style” – suggesting we are only one type of communication style and yet we are a combination of styles. What we value can often expose a different style when a value is being compromised. For example, someone who is much more passive can become more direct when they are being discriminated against.
People can be biased about anything – not just things like gender, skin colour, or age, but also things like communication styles. #MyContributionCounts #YouMeWeMovement
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One communication technique to stop demonstrating bias
One communication technique you can stop doing now is edit “you are ___” fill in the blank, out of your vocabulary. The word someone finishes that sentence with is often a bias being projected on to you. If you are providing positive feedback, try “I appreciate ____ about you” instead. Visit the last weWednesday for more on appreciation.
One communication technique you can stop doing now is edit “you are ___” fill in the blank, out of your vocabulary. The word someone finishes that sentence with is often a bias being projected on to you. #MyContributionCounts…
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What people do for work, as a hobby, where they travel – all can produce unconscious biases. Unconscious bias is just that – unconscious, however, those experiences fill the lens in which we view the world.
We also have conscious biases. For example, when someone says… “You wouldn’t believe what he did today… who do you think of?” You may very well know that you have a bias, and here is the thing… awareness of your preference is the first step to changing that point of view and remaining objective.
Why do we care about our unconscious biases?
Well as a leader, small business owner, or a fellow human being, we will start categorizing people and make all sorts of assumptions about who they are, their talents, motivations, and potential. This perspective limits our opportunities to optimize our interactions, and taps into our mutual potential.
When we understand how biases influence our behaviour, we can take action and create an inclusive culture—one where everyone can innovate, advocate, and collaborate.
Let’s go back to the questions asked at the beginning.
What did you see when you looked at each slide?
What do you evaluate first? Second? Third?
What was the message in your head?
Where they successful or unsuccessful?
Where they attractive or unattractive?
Where they capable or incapable?
Over the course of the next week, start becoming aware of some of your biases and consider how that bias is impacting your and other’s progression.
Start becoming aware of some of your biases and consider how that bias is impacting your and other’s progression. #MyContributionCounts #YouMeWeMovement
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Next week (and over the next few weeks) we will share some strategies on how to bring your unconscious bias to your conscious so instead of saying “you are ___” you will find yourself in the position of wanting to learn “who are you?”
Until next time, make your contributions count.
#YouMeWeMovement #MyContributionCounts
BEFORE YOU GO… like & share this post with your friends, colleagues, and anyone who wants to live their most meaningful life. Together, WE can spread the YouMeWe mindset of consistent conscious-contributions
to the community. Collaboratively we can create a positive ripple effect.
Join us for weWednesday – a short weekly video infusion of how to live your most meaningful life by consciously contributing to your community, country, and beyond. Subscribe on the right to weWednesdays to receive it in your inbox, or find out more here.
Suzanne F. Stevens, Conscious-Contributor Cultivator
Certified Speaking Professional, (CSP)
Social entrepreneur |Professional Speaker | Host | Author | Philanthropist
to the community. The Impact: Improving social gaps while attracting, engaging, and retaining colleagues, collaborators, and clients or customers.
2017 National President: Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS)
Awards: TIAW World of Difference Recipient for women economic empowering
Accreditation: Suzanne is one of 65 Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) in Canada and is in the exclusive 15% of speakers who have this designation internationally.
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