Speaker 1: So let's start by defining and unpacking the idea of unconscious bias. And probably the best way to do this is to get you to tap into yours. So this is Bob. I want you to take a moment, pause this video, take a pencil and paper and write down what kind of person do you think Bob is?

Speaker 2: Just write down a few keywords. So now you've done that, take a look at your list.

Speaker 1: Perhaps you thought Bob was strong. I don't just mean physically strong, because that's clear to see. Maybe you think he's strong willed, strong minded, capable, able to do things, good at getting things done. Maybe you thought single, definitely. Or perhaps you wondered, is he straight, is he gay? Maybe you allocated some of those labels or terms.

Speaker 2: Or perhaps you might have even thought violent, criminal, stupid. But you don't know Bob, or do you?

Speaker 1: The point I'm making is that in order for you to have made some associations or judgment about the kind of person Bob is, you must be tapping into your unconscious bias. These are the ideas and thoughts you have that are below the surface that you associate with certain visual traits. If you really had no unconscious bias, you would not have been able to perform that exercise, because you really have never met Bob, and so you know nothing about him. So unconscious bias is sometimes called implicit bias, and that describes the attitude we have towards people or the associations we make without really knowing anything about them. Explicit bias are those prejudices or attitudes that we are aware of. We know we feel that way towards certain groups or people. So unconscious bias is about the deep seated assumptions and views we hold. These lie below the surface, they're in our subconscious, and we're unaware of them. But they influence our perspective of the world constantly, and we are constantly tapping into those unconscious biases in order to make judgments and to figure out what we're seeing in front of us. So your unconscious bias really affects the way you see the world and the sense you make out of it without you even realizing it. And there are many kinds of unconscious bias, and there are a couple that are really common in the workplace. Firstly, gender bias. And we see this time and time again, where there is a preference for a certain kind of gender, usually skewed positively towards men. Men can do a better job. Men are smarter. Men are better leaders. Again, if you ask somebody at the conscious level, do they believe this? They would say no. But when you tap into what actually happens, you realize that somewhere below the surface, gender bias is a very real thing in the workplace. Another one is ageism. And this is often a negative attitude at the unconscious level towards people who are older, a belief that perhaps they're not as savvy, not as switched on, they're slower, they're not as in tune with the day-to-day world. But it can also be the other way around. You might look at somebody who's younger and make associations like inexperienced or irresponsible. So ageism is a preference for one kind of age category versus another based on an unconscious bias. Another one is conformity bias, where people who are prepared to conform to the group or almost give in to that peer pressure are perceived as more positive. We see them as team players. They fit into the culture. And actually, what's below that is a deep-seated, unconscious bias towards people who conform. And then there's the beauty bias, where people who are attractive in some sort of physical way are deemed to be more able or capable. And so the behavior towards them is more favorable. You've often heard the term, beautiful people have an easier ride. And that's really about people having an unconscious beauty bias. Here are some others. The halo or horns bias. The halo bias is when you hone in on a positive aspect, one positive aspect of somebody, and you apply that to their entire being. So somebody becomes flawless. They're unable to do wrong. And the horns bias is the other way around, where you hone in on a mistake somebody's made or a flaw in their character, and you paint them with that brush. They can do nothing right. Another one is name bias. And there's a lot of research on this, that people associate certain traits or they form prejudgments about a person based solely on their name. And often this has to do with socioeconomics or geopolitical realities of the time. But people who have a certain kind of name are seen more positively than others. And this affects their prospects, because your name is almost on everything you do, every form you fill out, every time you answer the phone. Name bias, which is subconscious, is a very, very powerful form of unconscious bias. Another one is affinity bias. And we all can relate to this. We prefer people who we believe are like us. Again, if you ask somebody consciously, do you only like people who are like you? They would say no. But at the unconscious level, we are drawn to people who we believe we have some kind of affinity with. And this drives our behavior. And lastly, attribution bias. This is an unconscious bias where a person tries to evaluate or understand why somebody behaves the way they do. They attribute certain rationale or reasoning to their behavior. And this can be positive or negative. People like this always act like that because of. Attribution bias is another very powerful form of unconscious bias. And all of these impact the world of work, because they impact how people in the same organization or team relate to one another, how they are seeing each other, and how they are interacting with one another. And of course, this influences the quality of relationships that exist within teams and the level of cohesion. And again, when we looked at how teams function in the psychology of organizations course, we really looked at how relationships and team cohesion has a massive impact on productivity and performance. And lastly, unconscious bias affects people who make decisions and who make choices about how resources are allocated. And that means some employees will get more and some people will get less because of unconscious bias. So how do you identify your unconscious bias? How can you, when you're really in the workplace dealing with people who are different to you, really be clear and become more conscious about the biases you hold? Firstly, examine your first reflex thoughts. And there's a real discipline to this. It doesn't come easily. But it's about allowing yourself to have that initial gut reaction, that systems one thinking, and then actually introspecting on that and examining, what did I first think when I heard this person's name or when I first saw them in the meeting room? That's about bringing your unconscious bias to the conscious. And then introspect on the why. So if I assume that this person would be slow, why? Why am I making those inferences? And reflect on your narrative. What am I saying about these people? What am I saying in my own head to myself? And what am I saying to others? And ask for someone else's view, just to test the above. What did you think about so-and-so when you saw them? What was your first gut reaction? Looking at it in other people is a good way of understanding and identifying unconscious bias. In your work context, can you think of a time when your unconscious bias has played a role, perhaps in the way you've interacted with a colleague or a client, or perhaps in a decision that you've had to make about somebody? It's not always easy or fun to be honest about our unconscious bias. Most of us want to believe that we don't have them, but we absolutely do. So what can we do about them? What should you do about your unconscious bias as an individual, and particularly as somebody who's probably working in a diverse workplace? Here are some practical tips. Firstly, check your messaging. When you write an email or when you're talking to a colleague, be very careful and clear about your narrative. And we explored this idea about how discourse constructs reality in our last lesson. Think about what you're saying and the inferences or meaning that are attached to those words. Consciously utilize system two thinking more often. That's the system where you think slowly, more carefully, you utilize facts, logic, and reason, and try and draw on that thinking all the time. It's not a bad thing to use your gut and intuition. There is a place for systems one thinking. If you think about it, if you find yourself in a dangerous situation, you often have to draw on your intuition and your gut feel in order to react quickly. So it's not a case that systems one thinking isn't good. But when it comes to making decisions, especially in the workplace, a more conscious systems two kind of approach to processing information often gets a better outcome. Individualize situations. And this is a really powerful one. Be deliberate in not applying stereotypes. Not all people who wear glasses are like this. Not all people who are tall and handsome are like that. Look at the person. Individualize it. Look in and focus on what you can see in that specific context. Deliberately not allow your stereotypes to play a role. And practice mindfulness, applying your mind, understanding your own feelings, thinking about your thoughts. That's the best way to describe mindfulness. Again, not an easy thing to do, especially when you're in the busy working world, but is a very powerful way of running counter to your unconscious bias. Here are some others. Don't ask for the conflicting view. It's a very powerful thing when you know somebody else has got a different perspective to you and you ask for that perspective. You take the time to listen to it because often those views will challenge your unconscious bias without you even realizing it. Engage with the other to test your assumptions. So once you're aware of the kind of inferences or assumptions or biases you have around certain kinds of people, make a conscious effort to actually go and look for evidence and fact that runs counter or not counter to your bias. So if you think all millennials are irresponsible or lazy or don't want to work, actually go and engage with one and test out those assumptions. Widen your social networks, become friends with people who you hold assumptions about. That's a very powerful way of having experiences which challenge and test your unconscious bias. And monitor what you're listening to, what you're reading, and where you're getting your facts in inverted commas from. Often we are drawn towards information sources which confirm our unconscious bias. We're not even aware of it. But the narratives that we tap into and listen to help confirm our unconscious bias. And if you have a more balanced set of information sources, often your unconscious biases are challenged. And what can organizations do? This course is about diversity and inclusion at work. So what should companies be doing about unconscious bias? The most powerful response to this is that they must limit its power. Everybody is utilizing unconscious bias, and it's powerful, and there's nothing that can be done about that. It's a natural form of psychological functioning in humans. But we must limit its pervasiveness and its power in organizations. And companies can do this by deliberately diversifying their leadership, making sure that the kind of people who are in leadership positions and who hold the power to make decisions come from various walks of life. And that goes back to the lessons we learned right up front in this course. Companies want to and should diversify because you need people who have different perspectives and who bring a different take on the world. If everybody who sits in a leadership position is the same, you're never going to get any new perspectives, and the unconscious bias that exists in most people never goes unchallenged. They can also institutionalize their practices. If we looked at some of those processes like hiring and promotion, or assessing people's performance, which leads to reward, make sure that in those processes and practices, there are checks and balances, so that there is always a litmus test, so that if somebody is being influenced by the unconscious bias, there are other people who can see that and hold them to account, and that you have multiple views on the same person. That's a way of ensuring fairness in the practice. Review the dominant narrative. And companies who are wanting to harness diversity should be doing this fairly often. And we spoke about this in our previous lesson. What are the key messages? What is the narrative that's going out there? How do we talk about diversity or people who are different? For example, do we talk about disabled employees, or do we talk about differently abled employees? That dominant narrative constructs a reality, and that narrative is underpinned by unconscious bias, and you want to limit its power. Educate your employees about their own unconscious biases, get them to understand what they are, and how they are playing a role in their behavior, and educate your employees on ways to challenge their unconscious bias. And ensure checks and balances and decision makers, so that if somebody is unable to rein in the influence of their unconscious bias, that actually there are places where that can be identified, checked, and rectified.