Leading Others: How Unconscious Bias Impacts Communication, Conflict Resolution, and Decision Making

Our behavior is impacted by the assumptions, biases and stereotypes (positive and negative) that exist in our subconscious. We tend to believe that we are seeing everything in its complete form, however, it’s not possible for us to see the world as it is. Instead, we see the world through the lens of our experiences, biases and various identity factors. As a result, the assumptions we hold shape the decisions that we make, but these decisions may be creating unequal outcomes for our employees.

For leaders, it is important to be aware of how our experiences, influenced by intersecting factors, can influence the way in which we communicate, how we approach and resolve conflict and ultimately how we lead. Our behavior towards others is influenced by hidden biases which can impact how we act, react and interact. Left unmanaged, certain employees may be disadvantaged and we may be marginalizing contributions from specific groups.

Steps can be taken to minimize the impact of unconscious bias in the workplace. This includes approaching policies in an informed way, specific training and intervention, empathy-driven dialogue and heightened self-awareness. This workshop will present an introduction to unconscious bias and identify ways in which empathy can be used as a tool to better understand and effectively lead others. Strategies that challenge our assumptions, improve our policies and create a workplace that is inclusive will be explored.

Learning Objectives:

1. Develop an understanding and raise awareness of unconscious bias and its impact on business practice.
2. Examine connections between unconscious bias and empathy.
3. Evaluate the impact of unconscious bias on communication, conflict resolution and decision making.
4. Explore and develop strategies to reduce levels of automatic bias.