YES…
We all have biases. In fact, it is safe to say bias is an inherent aspect of humankind and can influence every aspect of decision-making in our lives. Through our backgrounds, experiences, education, relationships, social and cultural environments, we have developed a distinct perspective which makes us individuals. Biases shape the lens through which we see the world and are part of what makes each of us unique.
AND…
Biases need to be kept in check, and the first step towards overcoming biases is acknowledging their existence. Acknowledging our biases requires authentic introspection and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about ourselves. It involves being open to the idea that our perspectives may be skewed and that there is room for improvement. This self-awareness lays the foundation for taking proactive steps to mitigate the impact of biases on our decisions and interactions for more growth and equity.
25 FOR 25: #3
Keep our biases in check. To keep our biases from overly influencing our decision-making and creating unintentional discrimination, there are a few things we can do.
1. Become a Lifelong Learner – Educating ourselves about different cultures, perspectives, events, and experiences can broaden our understanding and challenge preconceived or even subconscious notions.
2. Empathy and Perspective-Taking – Fostering empathy requires genuine curiosity and a willingness to listen to understand (not listen to respond). Actively seeking out conversations with individuals whose perspectives differ from our own and postponing judgment to truly listen to the thoughts shared can be enlightening and reduce biases.
3. Decision-Making Processes – Implementing frameworks such as the scientific method or divergent and convergent thinking allows us to approach decisions systematically, relying on evidence and analysis rather than unchecked and potentially biased intuition.
BONUS
Check out Bob’s original character and everyone’s favorite inept businessperson, Gil Kaggis on Empathetic Leadership.
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