IMechE Learning and Development Unconscious bias webinar slides

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User guide

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All participantsWrite here…..


Today’s moderator

Andy Webber


Today’s guest speaker

Sarah Thompson


Unconscious Bias –an insight into how we really

make decisions


Agenda and objectives

• What is unconscious bias is and why is it important

• The science and how the brain controls us at a deeper level

• Our biases & how they might influence our personal style

• Strategies to help manage our bias


What do you think

a bias is?


Where does bias

come from?


• A bias is a mental lens/filter we use to view the world.

• Biases come from experience, culture, upbringing, beliefs and are heavily influenced by our values.

• Everyone's biases are different.

• Today is therefore not about eradicating your bias – it’s about raising awareness.

What is bias?


Daniel Kahneman

Decision Making

System 1

Thinking

System 2

Thinking


How the brain works

ConsciousUnconscious


Compared to the conscious brain, the unconscious can hold

a) 10 times more information

b) 50

c) 100

d) More than that

Poll


Unconsciousor Fast Thinking is:

• Automatic

• Lightening fast

• Generates strong feelings of certainty

• Intuitive

• Assumptive

• Pattern matches

• Old, reptilian brain which deals with flight or flight

Consciousor Slow Thinking is:

• Rational• Requires effort – slow

and can be lazy!• Logical• Deliberate• Structured • Examines, calculates and

considers evidence. • Newer Neo Cortex Brain


Our brain decides for us our areas of priority

What does this mean for us?

• We sometimes don’t see or hear what is right in front of us

• We miss opportunities because our focus is elsewhere

• Our ‘unconscious’ brain will often decides what's important and what isn’t


How does bias impact you?

• What biases have you seen in the engineering world?


How does bias impact you?

• What biases have you seen in the engineering world?

• Engineers are not “good” with people• Flexible working opportunities are not available if you

want to progress• Engineers must have a degree to be ‘considered’ an

engineer• Engineers are introverts• Engineers are always right• Engineers are good problem solvers


Why bias matters…

Bias potentially impacts…

- Decision making

- Inclusion and diversity

- Engagement and wellbeing

- Interpersonal relationships

- Individual and team performance


Types of biases

•Affinity

•Confirmation


Affinity bias

• Having a connection or preference for someone due to familiarity or personality similarities

• Your mind generates justifications even if their performance isn't’t quite as good as another person that you don’t gel with

• Sometimes referred to as the Halo and Horn effect


Confirmation bias

• Making decisions which confirms the beliefs or preconceived ideas we hold

• We look for evidence which confirms our beliefs and disregard alternative evidence


The Role of Gut Instinct

• Gut comes from instinct, experience and is influenced by your values

• Don’t follow it blindly

• Don’t ignore it

• Don’t look for information to confirm it

• Use it as data


Microbehaviours

•Verbal cues

•Behavioural cues


Managing our biases

How can you…

Recognise, raise awareness and reduce bias both for yourself and others in your environment?


Top Tips

• Talk about bias

• Don’t generalise

• Stop – think – act

• Consider the opinions of others

• Consider micro behaviours

• Take the Harvard ‘IAT’ (Implicit Association Test)


We have

Discussed what unconscious bias is and why its important to us

Reviewed some of our biases

Considered how they might influence our personal style

Started to develop strategies to help manage our bias

To sum up


Thank you!


Any questions?

http://www.imeche.org/learning-and-development/courses/meet-our-trainers

IMechE Learning and Development Unconscious bias webinar slides

Leadership & Management

engineering world

unconscious bias

unconscious brain

reptilian brain

everyones biases

unconsciousor fast thinking

effort slow

whats important