![]() Become a student of your unconscious bias by being a frequent visitor to the Project Implicit website, (hosted at Harvard University.When you feel really certain about any decision, especially involving team members who are “different” from you, consider that this is a great time to practice “deliberate disruption.” Ask yourself: “How might my biases be influencing this decision?” Consult a trusted ally who sees the world differently from you to see if they detect any unfavorable or “like-me” biases driving your choices.This “clears out” some of the fast brain chatter and stress and allows you to be more present with your colleagues. Take 5 conscious breaths before giving feedback to your team members.The good news is that we are able to strengthen the bridge that connects these two brain functions. We are the only mammals who have this ability. It’s where “meta-cognition” lives, the ability to think about our thoughts. It’s where conscious decision making resides. Slow brain, or system two thinking, is the home of our intention to be fair, impartial and inclusive. When the other person is “different,” or when they trigger negative past associations, the inadvertent impact is to exclude that person. The amygdala, which has no doubt evolved from protecting us from attack by animals, gives us signals about other humans. In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman explains that the same fast brain, or system one thinking, which allows us to leap to safety from a speeding car, can trigger our biases at work. They become aware of what their impulsive brain is telling them and take a few seconds to change course and act with intention and control. ![]() Inclusive leaders try to be conscious of this instinct. When we react from instinct and impulse, we sometimes make decisions that are influenced by deeply engrained–even hidden–biases: This can be BAD, especially in the workplace as a manager.When we react from instinct and impulse, we are more able to protect ourselves: This is GOOD.That’s why we must be as conscious as possible of how our brain works and how it can impact our actions and behaviors.īreakthroughs in neuroscience and the mapping of the human brain have revealed what we have instinctively known for a long time about the fast brain. But be aware: The fast brain can malfunction, perhaps even interpreting Susan and her question in that meeting as a possible threat. It’s a reactive, instinctual function of your brain that has helped the human species survive a whole host of catastrophes throughout human history. But the “fast” part of your brain built to protect yourself from danger doesn’t necessarily know that. There aren’t any actual hungry lions in your office. There’s also the “fast” brain that pumps adrenaline through our bodies, developed so that our ancestors could run faster, out of the range of a hungry lion. There’s the “slow” brain that allows us to thoughtfully answer Susan’s question in the Tuesday morning meeting. ![]() So sometimes, I think of us as having two different brains in our head. It’s also the source of our most base, animal instincts. The human brain, a beautiful and complex organ, is built to process, organize and think. ![]() #Brain expert clipart movieIt sounds like a horror movie from the 1950’s, but the truth is, I’m talking about your mind. ![]()
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