cyberFEDS posts article about Defeating Unconscious Bias for federal government

Anjali Patel, Esq., cyberFEDS® Legal Editor Washington Bureau, has just interviewed me and posted an article. IN FOCUS: Creating a culture that helps employees understand and overcome their unconscious biases is crucial to ensuring a fair and equitable workplace, Joel Lesko told cyberFEDS® in an exclusive interview. 

Here is the article: 

Key points:
 Allowing unconscious bias to fester will impact overall morale Help employees use logic to combat unconscious bias
 Take specific actions and cultivate common ground  
Counter workplace unconscious bias with 5 strategies

By Anjali Patel, Esq., cyberFEDS® Legal Editor Washington Bureau  

IN FOCUS:

Creating a culture that helps employees understand and overcome their unconscious biases is crucial to ensuring a fair and equitable workplace, Joel Lesko told cyberFEDS® in an exclusive interview.  

It's important for employers to combat unconscious bias because these subconscious attitudes and stereotypes have a very real impact not only on the target of the bias, but also on the workforce as a whole, said Lesko, a diversity and inclusion trainer who directed the video Defeating Unconscious Bias -- 5 Strategies.  

Consider, for example, a manager who fails to promote women under 30 even though they have the same qualifications as male candidates in the same age group. Not only would this affect the women who were passed over for promotion, it would jeopardize the success of the workgroup and the manager's career by decreasing the diversity of his senior staff members, Lesko said.

According to Lesko, agencies can help employees overcome unconscious bias with these five strategies:   Awareness and understanding The first thing to do is help employees become aware of their unconscious biases, Lesko said. Since not all first thoughts are biases, individuals can test themselves by asking "why do I respond that way to someone" and "would I feel the same way if this person was from another group."   For example, if a very animated woman gives a presentation and pounds on the podium several times to make a point, Lesko said, some might conclude the woman is too emotional. But they should ask themselves if they would draw the same conclusion if a man acted the same way. Once aware of their biases, employees should ask themselves how many people they know actually fit into that stereotype.  

”Logic brings light to the assumption," Lesko said.  If, for example, "Joe becomes aware that he assumes young people are unreliable, he should then consider how many young people he actually knows who are uncommitted." Self-discovery may also involve getting some feedback from others on the topic, Lesko said. "This is where curiosity helps create a space for reflection and understanding."  

It also helps people hit the pause button when the bias affects their thinking or behavior, Lesko said. Pausing for a few moments can help the unconscious bias pass and logic to reassert itself.  

Countering bias

To counter unconscious bias, it's important to engage in specific, measurable behaviors. This is one of the hardest parts of the process because people must make the commitment to take actual action steps, he said. Yet, even small adjustments can lead to positive results. Consider a manager who becomes impatient with an employee because she speaks with an accent and stops listening to her, he offered.  

The solution could be for the manager to take notes to ensure she is paying attention to the employee, Lesko said.   Ideally, if the office culture promotes addressing unconscious bias, coworkers would give the manager support and positive affirmation for engaging in counter behaviors, he added. Workplaces also should offer opportunities for their employees to cultivate common ground, Lesko said. "Once we shift our focus to common ground, we are more easily able to treat that person without bias."  

Keep in mind that common ground can be something as small as taking a moment after a meeting to talk about something more personal, like movies, music, sports or family, he added. It's important to remember that people can both value differences and relate on common ground, Lesko said.  

Organizations can even get creative for their own situation and culture, such as setting aside time to help employees make these connections during lunch, he added.