“All people over 80 have uninteresting lives.”
“Young black men who play music loud in cars only listen to rap music.”
“All gay men are artistic and fastidious.”

These are just three of several biases (“inflexible beliefs about particular categories of people”) of which I have become aware in the last several years. This awareness came to me in a variety of ways, most of which grew out of the fact that, because of the nature of my work, bias tends to be on my mind much of the time. I’m not proud of them, of course, but I am glad I know these biases are there so I can begin the process of eradicating them from my thinking.

For most of us, however, getting in touch with our biases is hardly the only thing on our minds.

Sure we’d like to become more aware, but the stresses and rush of the workplace leave little room for this kind of ongoing introspection. Sometimes too we resist looking at the tiny clues that our behavior and thoughts toss up to us. This is usually because we suffer under the misguided notion that having a bias makes us “bad people” and, therefore, we struggle to avoid the issue altogether.

Whatever the reason for the inability to spot our biases, one solution is to turn to trusted co-workers for help. To facilitate this teamwork, I have designed a process called a “Bias-Spotter Partnership” that can readily be employed in any workplace where inclusion and bias-reduction are a priority.

Why Use a Bias-Spotter Partnership?

Research has shown that accountability to another person is a key component of bias reduction. Not only do the observations of each partner serve to identify bias, but the very fact that another person is “on duty” motivates each partner to stay more alert to her own biases and to any inappropriate behaviors that might arise from those biases.

The Bias Spotter strategy is not intended as a means of setting up a mini­­–police state. To the contrary, it is rooted in trust and friendship. In order for this process to be effective, these guidelines must be followed:

1. As in any good partnership, both parties must commit to the betterment of the team.

2. Both partners must be willing and able to make all observations in the spirit of mutual support; this is not about being accusatory or intrusive.

3. As much as possible within the policies of the company, all observations are to be kept strictly between the partners.

4. Both partners need to remember that a bias is an attitude, not a behavior—no mind reading allowed.

5. Bias Spotter partners need to be extra vigilant when one of them is functioning in a new environment. This is because a bias may be activated in one setting but not another. Partner A, for example, may not feel or show any bias toward immigrants when in her own department. But, when visiting another location and feeling less comfortable, she may.

6. Bias Spotter partners also need to be vigilant when a partner is rushed or working under an unusual amount of stress. It is at times like these that we crave easy answers and quick solutions. Biases, because they are so readily accessible, are a tempting ally when time is at a premium.

How Does a Bias-Spotter Partnership Work?

Each person is responsible for observing the decisions, words, and behaviors of his partner. He must comment to his partner if he feels the behavior is inappropriate and/or if he suspects there is a biased attitude behind that behavior. If a questionable behavior is observed, the partner might probe deeper by asking questions like:

1. “That comment seemed a little inappropriate to me. I wonder, have you had any bad experiences with members of that group that could be influencing your attitude toward them?” (If the answer is yes, there might be a bias at work.)

2. “Would you have made the same decision if the people involved were from a different group?” (If the decision were different, it is possible that it was influenced by a bias.)

3. “If the person about whom you made that decision why you decided as you did, would he respect your reasoning or would he feel discriminated against?” (If he would feel discriminated against, a bias likely lies behind the decision.)

4. “Would you like your children or other loved ones to know why you did that?” (If not, that action might be influenced by a bias of which the person is not proud.)

5. “I keep noticing that you don’t coach members of different groups equally. Do you have any thoughts about what that might mean about your attitudes?” (If the answer is that some groups need gentler treatment or can’t measure up anyway, there might be a bias at work.)

6. “How would you feel if you learned that a colleague had done the same thing? Would you suspect her of bias? (If the answer is yes, your Bias Spotter partner should become suspicious of his own attitudes too.)

7. “The last three people you promoted were from the same demographic group. I wonder if you might be favoring that group over another. What do you think?” (If your Bias-Spotter partner does not have an objective reason for the promotions, a bias in favor of one group might have influenced her decision.)

How bias-partners are selected will be dictated by the culture and inclusion climate of your workplace. Perhaps you might start, for example, by pairing members of your Diversity Council or other diversity leaders and expand from there. That will give you an opportunity to assess the process’ effectiveness in your organization and adjust it to more specifically meet your needs.

Sondra Thiederman is a speaker and author on bias-reduction, diversity, and cross-cultural issues. Her latest book, Making Diversity Work: Seven Steps for Defeating Bias in the Workplace (New York: Kaplan Publishing, Revised second edition, 2008), provides practical tools for defeating bias and bias-related conflicts in the workplace. She can be contacted for Webinars and in-person presentations at: www.Thiederman.com, STPhD@Thiederman.com, 800-858-4478.