Recognising Bias: Why It's Everyone's Responsibility, Especially Leaders

If your brain were considering Robert Frost's two paths diverging in a wood, it would have no question about which to take; it would always choose the well-worn and familiar path – the safe path.

I love this poem because it reminds us to challenge ourselves to do the less predictable things. 

"feel the fear and do it anyway". 

But just as fear influences our decision-making, big and small, so does our bias, conscious and unconscious.

Understanding how our brain reacts to things like fear and how it influences our decision-making is key to good leadership and good citizenship. 

Writing a newsletter on diversity, equity, and inclusion wouldn't be possible without digging into bias, the conscious and the unconscious. The things we know, think, and don't even realise, shape how we see the world and make decisions.

So, let's talk about bias. Because here's the thing: whether we like it or not, every single one of us has bias programmed into our brains, shaping how we think. It's how our brains make sense of the world. 

It's not something we chose, but it's definitely something we can take responsibility for and something we can evolve and change over time.

As leaders, colleagues, friends, parents, and people, we owe it to ourselves and those around us to get curious about how bias shows up in our thinking and decision-making. 

And we owe it to our organisations to build habits and systems that help us challenge it.

Bias, if left unchecked, limits our ability to make good decisions. Good decision-making is at the heart of a strong, competitive business. 

As Margaret Heffernan puts it in Wilful Blindness:

"The biggest failures in our lives stem not from what is hidden or secret but from what stands before us that we refuse to consider."

So, what's created bias in you and me?

It's a fair question. And the honest answer is: my life, your life. The world we've grown up in. Our education. Our family. Our friends. Our colleagues. The books we've read. The media we've consumed. The podcasts we've listened to. The people we follow on social media. We've learned and absorbed the stereotypes without even being aware of them: the conversations we've had - and the ones we haven't.

If our world has mostly been shaped by people who look like us, think like us, and share similar experiences, then, of course, we will have a limited lens. And the truth is, we all do. Bias is a human condition. It's not about being a "bad person" or a "good person." It's about recognising that our perspectives are shaped by what we've been exposed to - and that's why it's our job to expand that exposure.

So, how do we start?

This is where the work begins. Here are a few things that can help—practical, everyday actions that start to chip away at unconscious bias and build habits for better decision-making:

✅ Educate yourself. Take the Implicit Association Test. This tool, developed by Harvard, helps you see bias in action. It's not perfect, but it can be a powerful eye-opener. It's not about feeling guilty, it's about noticing what's going on in your brain and getting curious.

✅ Reflect on your "Trusted Ten." Who are the people you turn to for advice? How similar are they to you? What's missing? How might you expand your trusted cohort? That awareness is key.

✅ Slow down at key decision points. Whether you're hiring, promoting, or giving feedback, build in time to reflect and to pause. Ask yourself: Could bias be influencing this decision?  What is my objective evidence for this decision?  Could I justify this decision if I were asked to?

✅ Ask for evidence. If you're about to give feedback like "They lack confidence" or "They're not leadership material," stop and ask: What are the specific examples behind that? This simple step creates accountability, for yourself but also for others - you can ask this question of the leaders around you.

✅ Question your gut. We love to trust our instincts. But often, that "gut feeling" is bias in disguise, comfort with what's familiar. Ask yourself: Is my gut reacting to similarity, or am I genuinely assessing skills and potential?

✅ Think about who's missing. Look around the room—whether it's a meeting, a project, or a decision. Whose perspectives aren't represented? Who isn't at the table that should be?

✅ Walk in someone else's shoes. Before making a decision that will impact others, ask: How would this feel if I were in their position? Would I give the same feedback if this person were a man/white/non-disabled/cisgender? If they shared my background?

✅ Interrogate assumptions. We all make them. The key is catching ourselves and asking: Is this true? Is it fair?

Here's the bigger picture

Mitigating bias isn't just about being fair and inclusive - although that's reason enough. It's about making better decisions. Bias narrows our thinking. It pushes us toward what's familiar, what feels safe. And in doing so, it limits our creativity, our ability to innovate, and ultimately, our ability to compete.

If we want to build workplaces that thrive, we need to build habits that challenge bias. We need to create systems that slow decision-making, ask for evidence, encourage different perspectives, and hold each other accountable.

Bias isn't going anywhere. It's part of how we're wired. But we can choose whether we let it drive our decisions, or whether we challenge it, question it, and build something better.

Let's start here:

👉 What's one action you'll take this week to notice and challenge your own bias?

👉 And, if you haven't already, take the time to read my previous post on the different types of bias. It's a great place to start: HERE

Let's keep the conversation going. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

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