Are you getting in your own way?

Unconscious bias can hold you back

Unconscious bias can mean we make decisions that get in our way – and taking the time to understand why we make those choices, and where those instincts come from, can lead to us reconsidering and embracing a wider range of influences – which can take us much further on the road to success.

In a recent article, we spoke about unconscious bias – and about how our innate responses to people and situations are formed. We discussed how these unconscious responses can shape our career, and the people we bring into our working environment.

It isn’t just the way that we view others which we see shaped by our history and background, and it isn’t just our responses to other people and the biases we hold towards them or stereotypes we apply to them that we need to address if we want to be the best self we can be.

Unconscious bias also applies to the path we follow – and can get in the way of our successes and growth, if we let it.

If you want to be a successful business leader, if you want to lead others – and an organisation – on the path to success, you must understand and acknowledge your own strengths and weaknesses, play to the areas you’re stronger, and bring in a team to support the gaps in your game.

This doesn’t mean self-flagellating, it doesn’t mean berating yourself for your negative traits, and it doesn’t mean letting your awareness of your weaknesses block you from growth, from taking steps, or from success.

Unconscious bias refers to the instinctive decisions we make, the instant assumptions we make – and often we aren’t even aware we are making judgements in the moment that we are making them.

So not only can it impact on the team we recruit, and on the way we support their careers, it can impact on the way we climb the ladder, on the roles we aim towards, and on the successes we can achieve.

Unconscious bias can impact on the way we climb the ladder, on the roles we aim towards, and on the successes we can achieve

If your unconscious bias is telling you that others are more capable, more valued or valuable, and more experienced, does that mean that you aren’t suited to a promotion? Where a bias might stop you from taking someone seriously as a candidate for a role for which you’re recruiting, it can also stop you from envisioning yourself as a leader – and that (often unconscious) self-limiting belief can stop you from reaching your full potential.

We are all as strong as our best day – and as weak as we let ourselves be. Nobody can do it all – and no leader is a solo star – the best business leaders are in that position because they built the right team and together, as a collective, they tick every box.

The programmes we offer help your business leaders to be the best that they can be – that includes psychometrics which help people to understand who they are, how to build on their strengths, and address areas in which they aren’t as strong whilst increasing their confidence in their leadership abilities. We hold up the “mirror” to challenge biases, instincts, and gaps in confidence.

A better understanding of self can lead to a better connection to others – and a dedicated, self-aware team is far more likely to win business and increase success than one with cracks, gaps, or blind spots. If you are letting innate responses guide your path without challenging them, you aren’t achieving everything of which you’re capable – individually or as a whole.

Our programmes not only help your leadership team gain a better understanding of who they are, but enable them to access methods that overcome barriers, increase connectivity and relationships within the workplace, and support overall growth across the business.

If you want to learn more about ASK’s range of programmes, call our consultants on 01234 757575 or download our brochure – and let’s arrange a meeting so we can go over how we can help.