Disrupting Bias in the Workplace

Diversity

• Diversity is not the end goal, but it’s a means to a more equitable and more inclusive workplace where people feel they can belong.

• Studies have shown that the more gender and ethnic diversity on the leadership team, the better the financial outperformance. 

• The reason why we’re still in this perpetual cycle of oppression is that our brains are wired for bias. The more we can be aware of this, the more equipped we’ll be to interrupt bias.

Stereotypes & Biases

• Stereotypes are shortcuts our brain uses to make sense of the world. 

• It’s okay to use stereotypes to make quick decisions, but not when it comes to people-related decisions. 

• “The problem with stereotypes is that while some are true, many are not, and all are incomplete.”  -Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

• ACTION: We can interrupt bias at an individual level by becoming aware of our own biases, auditing our network, seeking narratives, and reading and learning more about this topic.

Privilege

• Everyone has privileges (some more than others).

• There are two different views of reality for people in the Ingroup vs people in the Outgroup 

  • Ingroup: unaware of privileges, Outgroup: well aware of disadvantages

  • Ingroup: focus on intent, Outgroup: focus on impact

• ACTION: We can use our privileges to help others by owning our experiences, calling out inappropriate behavior, and becoming a sponsor for underrepresented groups

Microaggressions

• There are 3 types of microaggressions: verbal, nonverbal, and environmental.

• Microaggressions are like papercuts. Some people get them multiple times a day… every day.

• ACTION: You can respond to microaggressions by calling out the statement, not the person; focusing on impact, not intent; and auditing your office and surroundings.

How Bias Manifests in the Workplace

• 3 types of biases in the workplace: Attribution Bias (how we attribute success), Performance Bias (how we measure performance), and Competency Likeability Tradeoff (how women juggle between competence and likeability at work)

• ACTION: We can interrupt bias in meetings by setting ground rules, assigning administrative work, attributing success to the correct person, and explaining/justifying our decisions. If you cannot explain a “gut feeling” in terms of skills-based evidence, then your gut feeling is most likely a bias.