Embracing bias: The psychology of human misjudgement

We all have cognitive biases – ways of thinking that go against reason or logic. These biases can be helpful, but they can also be hugely problematic. For example, research has shown that up to 90% of all leaders sort their employees into ‘in-groups’ and ‘out-groups’ based on their early impressions. How can we navigate the challenges our biases pose to get the best from our brains – and in turn, the best from our teams and organisations?

There has been a great deal of press coverage recently about the problem of unconscious bias and the limited efficacy of training interventions. In December 2020, it was announced that unconscious bias training was being scrapped for civil servants in England as there was ‘no evidence’ it was effective. Since then, the controversy has only increased, and yet the idea of unconscious bias training seems remarkably sound: make individuals more aware of their biases so that we can reduce the chance of negative repercussions. So where are things going wrong?

In this 30-minute webinar, Positive experts Dr Brian Marien, Dr Eloise Crush and Will Marien will delve into the fascinating science of unconscious bias. They will discuss its relevance for leaders and teams in today’s turbulent world, its links with psychological health and how we can use our understanding of human psychology to help shift thought patterns and behaviour. They will also present a practical three-step strategy that leaders can use to build trust, facilitate cooperation and improve performance throughout their organisations.