Combat Unconscious Bias

Like it or not unconscious biases influence our decision making.  Some of our decisions can negatively impact some people based on their age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, physical abilities, and socio-economic status.  Good, well intentioned people have unconscious bias. 

Q. What is unconscious bias?

A.  The often-subtle associations we make between groups of people and our stereotypes about those groups. We are often unaware of some of our biases and we do not realize how they play out in our everyday interactions. An example of this is an affinity bias, hiring managers sometimes prefer candidates who they think will “fit in” with the culture. While similarities should not automatically disqualify a candidate, they should never be the deciding factor, either.

Q. What can I do to eliminate my implicit bias?

A.  Removing these biases is a challenge, especially because we often do not even know they exist.  To begin you can take one or more of the Implicit Association Test (IAT). The IAT measures the strength of associations between concepts (e.g., black people, gay people) and evaluations (e.g., good, bad) or stereotypes (e.g., athletic, clumsy). From there you can slow down your decision making.  Unintentional bias is more likely when you make fast decisions.  Slow down and look out for thoughts that might be clouding your judgement.  When possible change your point of view by using data and consulting with a diverse group of people to help you make more objective decisions.