When asked whether people value inclusivity and beleive they behave in an inclusive way most people believe they do. But did you know that according to UCSF, “unconscious bias is far more prevalent than conscious prejudice and often incompatible with one’s conscious values”? Which means in our day to day behavior we don’t actually live out our values the way we think we do.

What about you? To find out select all that apply to your values associated with inclusivity.

Let’s talk about our ability to make snap decisions.

If you’re driving and on the side of the road you watch a ball roll out with a small child following, your immediate reaction is to hit the breaks.  You do not take the time to evaluate whether the child was going to run out or stop.

According to Leanin.org, our brains are wired for fast decision making. Because your brain takes in so much information it naturally simplifies things by categorizing people and things based on experiences. This is where stereotypes come from. In order to make split decisions our brains quickly and often without effort reference these stereotypes.

In fact it can be so effortless that it doesn’t feel like you’re making a decision at all. It feels more like a reaction.  In a work setting it can feel like the natural flow of how we get things done. 

The truth is, because our brains work this way we all have unconscious biases. It’s hard to admit and even harder to recognize. Sometimes they serve us – as in when you hit the breaks with the assumption that a child will chase a ball onto the road. Sometimes stereotypes and assumptions about people are harmful.

According to the University of California’s Office of Diversity and Outreach “Certain scenarios can activate unconscious attitudes and beliefs. For example, biases may be more prevalent when multi-tasking or working under time pressure.“

What does this mean for work?