Have you been treated unfairly?

Recently on HBR the results of a survey among the readers resulted in 89% of responders saying that they have experienced being treated unfairly because of someone else's bias.

Biases are heuristics we use in everyday life to allow for faster and less effortful decision making, both in our interactions, and in choosing our course of action. When it comes to others, this is sometimes based on preconceived ideas about a specific group, and their inherent characteristics because of their belonging to any such group. In a recent article, researchers discuss the results of an experiment where introverts appear to consistently give low performance ratings to extroverted teammates, perhaps to correct for behaviours and attitudes they dislike and see as unfair. And, in HBR's survey more women and more non-caucasian feel they have been treated unfairly because of someone else's bias. It is, sometimes, the result of too easily reacting to a situation, without considering the context, or investigating with enough curiosity about the individual.

As the result of our brains being unable to see the full picture, but being contented with the blurred image of what we rapidly see, biases allow us to rely on some seemingly essential pieces, so that we don't need to spend too much time and energy thinking thoroughly. They come at hand, because easing effort and shortening decision time is an essential skill for survival. In our speedy lives, surrounded by uncertainty, it seems such biases can be perceived as even more practical and advantageous: to save time, to do more work, or to have more valuable connections, in a shorter timeframe (or in a time that seems shorter and shorter - perhaps another bias). Stress can also make us more dependable on rapid judgments, even more so because our energy levels, and patience, are sometimes heavily reduced by it.

If so many have felt they have been treated unfairly, some questions might arise, all perhaps examples of the bias blind spot, that is, we often see others' biases, but rarely detect our own. How many times have we been on the other side, and treated someone unfairly because of relying, often unconsciously, on our biases? How many times has our behaviour been interpreted as a biased reaction? Finally, how do these biases influence our interpretation of someone else's behaviour and actions as unfair because of a bias?

Answers might not be straigthforward, nor one size fits all. However, cultivating our self-awareness and a beginner's mind can be a wonderful practice to counteract our natural tendency to fit things into known patterns, and to use well-rehearsed reasoning and actions. Curiosity is the fruit of a beginner's mind, together with being able to practice empathy towards unknown people, and towards those we assume we already know well enough. In the workplace this can translate in more openness, better communication, lowered resistance, and fresher interactions.

#bias #stress #mindfulness #mind #perception