Each and every one of us is biased toward something, somebody, or some group. So, if we all have bias, what do we do about it? First, we recognize our biases (introspection) and then we decide what to do about them (action).
With recent events leading to a rise in awareness about racial injustice in America, the concept of unconscious bias is top of mind for many of us. It’s flipping the script on the paradigm that patterns of discriminatory behavior are conscious; that people who know better do the right thing, and those who don’t have bias. This leads to a “good person/bad person” paradigm: a belief that “good” people are not biased, but inclusive, and that “bad” people are the biased ones.
It’s simply not true...and it’s not simple. All humans have bias of one kind or another, and we actually need bias to survive. We go out in the world every day (well, we used to!) and make decisions about what is safe or unsafe, what is appropriate or inappropriate. These decisions are hard-wired into humans.
As coaches, being aware of what is below the surface first for ourselves and then for our clients will lead to greater insight and transformation. Creating awareness and action about unconscious bias and supporting client transformation is a critical first step for the hard work of dismantling systematic racism.