Discussion guide
- In the Avarna video there were two activities to explore your bias – the scenarios and the “trusted 5” activity. We also asked you to take a couple of Implicit Association Tests. For each activity (scenarios, trusted 5, and IAT) discuss the following
- What was it like to explore your bias via the IAT, scenarios, or the trusted 5 activity? What feelings or thoughts did you have about it?
- Was there anything that surprised you about the activity or the test?
- What did you learn about yourself and how your mind works in those activities?
- The Avarna Video and the Cognitive Bias Cheat Sheet laid out situations in which our unconscious biases might inform our assumptions and guide our interactions, including: (1) when we receive too much information and need to filter out some of it; (2) when we receive too little information and need to make meaning of it; (3) when we need to act fast, (4) when we’re trying to figure out what to remember.
- Which of these situations occurs most often in your day-to-day work life?
- How might bias impact organizational culture and who is determined a “good fit”? (Think about what identities, styles, hobbies, and interests are common at your organization)
- What are some ways we can create structures or a culture that minimizes these situations so that we can be more mindful in our decision making?
