Books

we judge quickly who is trustworthy, capable, intelligent, competent or even deserving of a job or promotion. One of the best ways to overcome that blind spot is to be brave enough to ask questions continually and be open to views and perspectives that are different from one’s lived experience.

According to research from Diversity Resources.com, there are many different types of common unconscious biases we see in the workplace. A few to take note of and observe include Ageism, Affinity, Attribution, Beauty, Conformity and Gender bias. Think about it: We meet the new director of HR, who happens to have an accent and wears a Hijab. How would any of us describe this new employee as we talk to other employees about meeting him? Do we use visual cues as clues to fill in data we may not have, such as the person’s race or religion?

What do we do when we meet someone of a different race, with a different hairstyle or accent, or even dress? Are we open to their lived experience, or do we find ourselves trying to fill in the gap of information that we don’t have? That is the harmful effect of making a judgment: It leaves little to no room for the truth to unfold and for the person to share their philosophy and true lived experience?

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS — THINGS TO DO TO MITIGATE IT

Raise awareness through education. The Harvard Implicit Association test (accessed at implicit.harvard.edu) is a tool to learn about our unconscious beliefs. The project has two different versions of the test and I would encourage everyone to take both to get a full spectrum of understanding in many different areas. The first test examines social attitudes and implicit associations around race, gender and sexual orientation. The second looks at Health implications around exercise, anxiety, alcohol, eating and marijuana use.

Project Implicit is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and an international collaboration of researchers interested in implicit social cognition. Founded in 1998 by three scientists, its mission is to educate the public about bias and provide a virtual lab to collect this empirical data. Being able to identify how unconscious bias can be toxic to a workplace can be pivotal in moving the needle on DEI work. Another great tool and resource for managers is from SHRM.com. SHRM, the Society of Human Resource Management, has a robust “implicit bias guide” that lists articles, videos, books and even a glossary of terms that explains the various types of unconscious and implicit biases that employees could be exhibiting or experiencing.

CHALLENGE OUR OWN ASSUMPTIONS.

Being aware of our own biases is a significant first step to being able to challenge our assumptions. We need to ask ourselves critical questions about the data points we use to determine who to trust, promote, confide in or collaborate with. It’s a continuous process of seeing people for who they truly are individually and not the stereotypes we each have embedded in our psyche.

Workplaces can play an essential role in this process by being a safe place and space for employees to explore and communicate these biases based on their lived experiences. A great way to do that is by bringing in a DEI professional that trains specifically around unconscious or implicit bias. This formal training is challenging but effective, especially when done across various departments, job functions and titles. Once a workplace is aware of any biases that may exist, it can then begin the critical work of dismantling them and developing programs and policies that are more inclusive.

Unlock Your Potential

In Unlock Your Potential, author and entrepreneur Jeff Lerner shows readers how the failings of our education, employment and retirement systems have opened doors most people didn’t even know exist. And, most important, he shares how to step through those doors — where they exist, how they work, what it takes to go through them, and what’s on the other side. Unlock Your Potential can serve as the blueprint — a master key for individuals to unlocking their full potential and living a life no one told them was possible. Herein lies the key for anyone, anywhere in the world to escape the broken system and create a quality of life that was unimaginable a generation ago.

Unlock Your Potential: The Ultimate Guide for Creating Your Dream Life in the Modern World

Jeff Lerner Matt Holt Available 8/2/2022 $28

368 pages

Clockwork, Revised and Expanded

Business owners may ask themselves, “Does my business own me more than I own it?” What if, instead, the company could run on automatic while it continued to grow and turn a profit? Most entrepreneurs started their company so they could be their own boss, make the money they deserve, and live life on their own terms. They may find, in reality, they’re bogged down in the daily grind, constantly putting out fires, answering an endless stream of questions, and continually hunting for cash. In Clockwork, Revised & Expanded, entrepreneurship expert Mike Michalowicz improves on his step-by-step method for getting more done by doing less — making it easier than ever for owners to have their business run itself.

Clockwork, Revised and Expanded: Design Your Business to Run Itself Mike Michalowicz

Portfolio; Expanded edition Available 8/23/2022 $28

304 pages

The Wise Investor

The Wise Investor is an inspiring parable about building what author Rich Fettke calls Real Wealth, the foundation of financial freedom. It tells the story of Ryan Brooks, a husband, father, and CaptivSoft’s hard-working lead coder who, with the help of a new friend and mentor, finds a different path to financial security for himself and his family and becomes wealthy in more ways than he thought possible. Those who have ever sought to build wealth, secure their financial future, and live a life that aligns with their values and dreams sooner rather than later, this heartwarming story about one family’s financial transformation will help shine the way.

The Wise Investor: A Modern Parable About Creating Financial Freedom and Living Your Best Life

Rich Fettke

Highline Press Available 8/30/2022 $24.95

256 pages