1. Unconscious Bias Catriona Lander, Lander Leadership and Consulting
Adapted and revised from presentation materials provided by Mahin Rashid, Presidents Group

2. Bias exists in all of us. If you have a brain, you have bias.
Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018

3. Video: Respect and inclusion at Deloitte
5 minutes to watch, 5 minutes to discuss – 10 minutes total
USING THIS ONE -
KB – watch the video and then engage the group in discussion about the video.
Google - Unconscious Bias at Work:
 Unconscious Bias - Leadership and Management:
Overcoming Unconscious Bias for Women in Tech:
Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018

4. Perceptions and Awareness
= Choices
Actions
Results
OUR FEELINGS & BELIEFS
ABOUT THOSE EXPERIENCES
ASSUMPTIONS
OPINIONS
ATTITUDES
Our Window on the world
(our perception)
OUR
EXPERIENCES
FORM OUR
BELIEFS, BIASES
& ATTITUDES
DECISIONS
Increasing Self Awareness - Perceptions and Awareness
We are made up of everything that we have experienced.
Our life’s experiences and how we felt about those experiences can shape how we perceive, interact and communicate with the world around us.
Everyone sees situations differently. We all come from different backgrounds and have had different experiences in our lives that form the way we see the world. When you see that there has been a breakdown in communication between people, check to see what the perceived situation was for each person involved.
As each of us experience and interact with the others, we unconsciously perceive them, assess them based on our past, make assumptions about them (based on our own filter of experiences and beliefs) and then form an opinion about them and what they are trying to communicate. It is through our own filter of perceptions that we see and communicate with the world.
We all make snap decisions about people based on the limited information we have as well as our own biases. We are human beings – it’s a natural thing for us to do.
However, it’s not always a good thing:
We make assumptions that can sometimes limit us in what we are trying to accomplish.
It’s OK to have a human reaction to something. But it’s important to recognize when that reaction is based on bias or wrong information.
Don’t allow yourself to become stuck by limiting beliefs.
Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018

5. Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018
How Do Biases Affect Us?
Our Perception – how we see people and perceive reality.
Our Attitude – how we react towards certain people.
Our Behaviours – how receptive/friendly we are towards certain people.
Our Attention – which aspects of a person we pay most attention to.
Our Listening Skills – how much we actively listen to what certain people say.
Our Micro-affirmations – how much or how little we comfort certain people in certain situations.
Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018

6. Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018
What are some biases you might have specific to hiring people with disabilities? Are they serving/supporting you to be successful?
Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018

7. Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018
Types of Bias
1. Similarity Bias
2. Distance Bias
3. Safety Bias
4. Experience Bias
5. Efficiency Bias
Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018

8. Lander Leadership & Consulting
Similarity Bias
2 minutes
The two most prevalent forms of similarity bias are ingroup and outgroup preferences. You hold a relatively positive perception of people who are similar to you (the ingroup) and a relatively negative perception of those who are different (the outgroup).
When do we see examples of similarity bias in the workplace?
Lander Leadership & Consulting

9. Lander Leadership & Consulting
Distance Bias
2 minutes
Defined as a tendency to favour people who are closer to us in space and time – suggest that people may unconsciously perceive something or someone that is not within close proximity to them is of a lesser value, and that this perception can subsequently impact upon decision
When do we see examples of distance bias in the workplace?
Lander Leadership & Consulting

10. Lander Leadership & Consulting
Safety Bias
2 minutes
Our tendency to pay more attention to negatives like threat than we do to positives like reward is the result of how we evolved to survive. This is why, when it comes to considering a transaction or investment, we’re more focused on avoiding loss then the potential gain. That’s what we mean by a safety bias.
When do we see examples of safety bias in the workplace?
Lander Leadership & Consulting

11. Lander Leadership & Consulting
Experience Bias
2 minutes
Our brains tend to assume that what we see is all there is to see, and all of it is accurate. But this doesn’t take into account the many background processes that combine to construct our experience of reality, like our expectations, experiences, personality and emotional state.
When do we see examples of experience bias in the workplace?
Lander Leadership & Consulting

12. Lander Leadership & Consulting
Efficiency Bias
2 minutes
Can be described as mental shortcuts that help us make quick and efficient decisions. The brain has two ways of making decisions, fast and slow. Fast decisions just feel right. That’s what makes us follow them. When you need to make decisions based on more objective, less accessible information, your brain’s slower, more analytical system has to get involved to review the fast brain’s impulses and correct its mistakes. But the slow brain requires more cognitive effort and concentration, so we don’t use it as much as we should.
Lander Leadership & Consulting

13. Spot the Potential Bias
Interview for Learning & Development Consultant
Good morning team,
As you know we are hiring for a new consultant for our learning and development team. As we are a small team of learning experts, and all been at this organization for some time, I would like us all to be on the panel. I think having us all represented will be the best way to see if these candidates will be a good cultural fit for our organization.
I have reviewed all the resumes and shortlisted 5 applicants. They are all based in Vancouver, so it should be easy to bring them in for an interview. Michelle, if you can please see me and I will give you the shortlist to contact.
We are only available as a team on Tuesday – so all interviews will be conducted that day. Any candidate unable to make it, unfortunately won’t be in the running, as we need to make a quick decision.
Thank you for your time!
John
Director, Learning & Development
3 minutes
On the screen is an from a Learning and Development Director to his team about some interviews that are upcoming. Can you spot the potential bias?
Lander Leadership & Consulting

14. Spot the Potential Bias
Interview for Learning & Development Consultant
Good morning team,
As you know we are hiring for a new consultant for our learning and development team. As we are a small team of learning experts, and all been at this organization for some time, I would like us all to be on the panel. I think having us all represented will be the best way to see if these candidates will be a good cultural fit for our organization.
I have reviewed all the resumes and shortlisted 5 applicants. They are all based in Vancouver, so it should be easy to bring them in for an interview. Michelle, if you can please see me and I will give you the shortlist to contact.
We are only available as a team on Tuesday – so all interviews will be conducted that day. Any candidate unable to make it, unfortunately won’t be in the running, as we need to make a quick decision.
Thank you for your time!
John
Director, Learning & Development
Red= similarity bias
Green = distance bias
Purple = efficiency bias
Lander Leadership & Consulting

15. Easy Tips to Mitigate Bias
1. In meetings – pick hats to wear. 2. Be aware of your bias and tell a team member. Hold each other accountable. 3. When making a big decision – consider who has a voice at the table.
10 minutes
White Hat: The neutral White Hat offers objective facts and figures and is used near the beginning of the meeting to establish relevant facts and information about the issue to be discussed.
Red Hat: The emotional and intuitive Red Hat is used to get people’s gut reactions to an idea or when you want the team to express their emotions freely.
Black Hat: The cautious Black Hat is used when you want to get the critical viewpoint of an idea or situation. The “devil’s advocate” hat helps decrease the chances of making a poor decision.
Yellow Hat: The sunny and positive Yellow Hat helps identify the value of ideas and plans. The Yellow Hat helps counterbalance the judgmental thinking of the Black Hat.
Green Hat: The creative Green Hat comes on when you want to generate fresh ideas and new directions. This is a very powerful hat that each player needs to wear.
Blue Hat: The organizing Blue Hat sets objectives, outlines the situation, and defines the problem in the beginning of the meeting and returns at the end to summarize and draw conclusions.
Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018

16. Brainstorm: How else can we mitigate our biases?
Similarity Bias – remove distinguishing features, seek diversity, created a shared goal so everyone is working towards the same thing
Efficiency – reward people for finding their errors, break processes into chunks, create processes to review all information, be careful of tight deadlines
Experience – independent ideas, revisit ideas after a break, diversity of experience
Distance – people on the phone or working remotely, benefits sooner or in distance future
Structure for success
2. Measure results
3. Evaluate subtle messages
4. Hold everyone accountable
Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018

17. Something to think about:
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18. Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018
Some Resources:
(The Presidents Group)
Diversity, Inclusion & Respect - Province of British Columbia 
Diversity & Inclusion Resources - AMSSA 
Diversity & Inclusion – sparc bc 
Diversity and Inclusion in Action - Inclusion BC 
inclusionbc.org/conference-2015/diversity-and-inclusion-in-action/
Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018

19. Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018
Thank you.
Lander Leadership & Consulting, 2018