Accepting that I am biased
Last week started off with a recognition of Martin Luther King Jr – so it’s no surprise that I’ve seen a theme of diversity and inclusion showing up in several unrelated meetings. In addition to two webinars on this topic (one with executives from major companies like Texaco), I just recorded a roundtable with Human Potential Institute on diversity and bias as it relates to the coaching industry.
A few actionable takeaways on this important topic of bias:
1) Be “anti-fragile” when exploring your own biases towards groups of people. Don’t take it personally. You are not a bad person if you admit you are biased! We are all on a path to decrease our biases and take actions to counter them. And if you are not “there” yet admitting that you are prejudiced, try substituting the words “attitude” or “belief” instead of bias. This gentler approach may decrease your mind’s defensiveness.
2) Have more conversations with people different from you, and focus on having a dialogue vs a debate. Aim for deeper inquiry and understanding.
3) Don’t be silent. Now is not the time for leaders to take a back seat. Be bold and take a stand on this topic. Be a model for your teams.
I’m hopeful progress will be made in our society when it comes to bias. But we must be the ones to take action, big and small, to bring about the change.
I’ll end with a couple of resources related to diversity and bias:
Me: Know that I’m here to explore this in 1:1 conversations with you, or am happy to form a group so we can learn and explore together
Assessment: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
Books: Just Mercy, White Fragility, Born a Crime, Men We Reaped
With support,
Bijal
The intent of these emails is to provide different perspectives, ideas, and insights as you navigate the path forward for yourself, your team, your organization, and your family.
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Bijal Choksi, MA, CHPC, ACC