UNCONSCIOUS BIAS

Why should you attend?

A new colleague comes to introduce herself. In a few seconds, we have formed an opinion on her. It happens fast and unconsciously. As human beings, we are all biased in our thinking. Unconscious bias in itself is not good or bad, preconceptions are simply part of how we think. But even though we are not aware of our biases, we also act according to them in our daily lives, at home and at work. And that is a problem. Because it leads to misunderstandings and frustrations in teams and organisations.

If the new colleague is very different, we will be less inclined to ask her to come along for lunch. Instead, we will notice clearly all the mistakes she is making. With colleagues more similar to us, those mistakes do not catch our eye at all, or we turn a blind eye to them ("after all, we were beginners once ourselves"). When we are looking for advice or input, we tend to go to those colleagues with whom we feel most familiar. And in that way we manage to reconfirm our own opinion. Our team may be diverse, but we don't think and act inclusively. The diversity in our team is not perceived as an added value.

Dealing with difference between myself and the other, in a team or organisation, is not self-evident. It requires specific knowledge and skills. But it is well worth it.

In an open work culture where everyone feels they can be themselves and at the same time be an integral part of the team, employees are more satisfied. They think more innovatively and make better decisions. 

Programme

This workshop is about unconscious bias in the workplace. Who am I versus the other? And what effect does this have on my actions in a team? How do I deal with difference in a respectful way? How do I communicate inclusively and avoid misunderstandings and frustrations?

• Adopting an open, curious attitude in a team requires courage. Because it means that I need to reflect on myself and how I act, and explore my own unconscious biases. 
• An open work culture requires that I communicate with my colleagues in a different way, with a continuous willingness to learn and to enter into dialogue.

Your results

• Insight into your own biases, norms and values and how they influence your actions
• Practical tools and techniques to build an open work culture in your team and organization
• Ability to communicate inclusively, entering into dialogue, avoiding frustrations and misunderstandings
• Ability to collaborate successfully across differences, achieving better results in team & organization
  

Our approach

• This workshop is fully interactive.
• A good mix of interactive knowledge transfer and practical exercises and cases ensures you can immediately apply the new learnings in your daily work.
• We work in small groups and provide a safe, inclusive learning environment. 

Trainer: Els Compernolle & Emilie Brébant