Bringing Awarness to Unconscious Bias

Bringing Awarness to Unconscious Bias

We all have biases. The most important step we can take as leaders is to bring awareness to our biases to ensure our decisions are based in objective truths as much as possible.

The below list is excellent for reflecting on and reviewing during key decisions, or even to see who you are being on a day-to-day basis in work (and, life)!

  • Affinity bias – The tendency to gravitate towards people who remind us of ourselves.
  • Halo effect – The tendency to always see someone in a positive light because of their title or because you like them.
  • Perception bias – The tendency to form stereotypes and assumptions about certain groups that make objective decision making impossible.
  • Confirmation bias – The tendency for people to only seek out information that confirms their preexisting beliefs or assumptions.
  • Group-think – The tendency for people to go along with the group rather than voicing their individual thoughts and beliefs.

Source: UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Program Director of Executive Development, Horace McCormick, Jr. via Google Beats Unconscious Bias by Teaching Its Employees These 4 Tactics

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