Implicit Bias / Unconscious Bias / Conscious Inclusion – we’ve all heard the terms, but what do they mean? Why is it important for me, my colleagues, my organisation, to understand? The human brain is bombarded with an ever increasing volume of information and our conscious mind is only capable of processing a tiny fraction (perhaps as low as 0.000004%!) of it at any given time. To make sense of the noise, our brains categorise the world around us. This automatic processing enables us to know what to expect and how to react around certain objects. It also means we automatically categorise others human beings.

​The problem is that our brains have created patterns of recognition to deal with all the data provided to us through our senses and these patterns are connected with our life experience and can be our downfall. Our structured, unconscious bias prevents us from hearing and considering diverse points of view, connecting with a diverse set of individuals or understanding a diverse client base. So we need to understand our bias, recognise its impact and develop strategies for mitigating against it.

CATCH IT. CALL IT. CHANGE IT.