The name of this blog comes from our mission at INFLUENCE: “To empower people with clarity and confidence.”
Our objective is to provide brief but meaningful topics (under 500 words) that inspire, educate and empower leaders through resources both inside and outside of INFLUENCE. This week’s edition is provided by David Salmons.
Human bias is inescapable. The more we ignore it in ourselves, the less effective we are as leaders. The more we recognize it and deal with it however, the more tuned and effective our leadership becomes. Consider the following scenario.
John is a CEO. He seeks to hire a new Human Resources VP. He interviews six candidates and chooses Bridgette, the one with whom he has the best vibe. They seem to get each other, both being goal driven, succinct, and decisive. And while she has less HR experience than the other candidates, she is a former Captain in the U.S. Army. John was Army too.
Soon after hiring Bridgette, John begins hearing mixed messages from his team. Some marvel at Bridgette’s focus. Others just seem to be whining about change. John remains confident that his intuition has served him well.
Three months later, two of his best managers leave, followed by a fourth of the customer service team. A common complaint in exit interviews involves HR. John checks in briefly with Bridgette who assures him it’s under control – although he continues to hear more whining about her approach. Two weeks later, another two managers leave along with six other resignations. The pattern continues.
In the above scenario, at least two kinds of bias are probably in play, and they’re worth careful consideration.
First, affinity bias has likely occurred. Affinity bias means that we’re drawn towards people who remind us of ourselves. In this case, John is a big picture guy who likes control. He mostly considers HR as a business function through which he achieves his goals. He’s simply not a people person.
John was drawn to Bridgette because she IS like him on many levels, yet Human Resources, being more integrated with personnel through policies and processes, requires someone who understands people.
In essence, affinity bias led John to choose a poor candidate for the role.
Second, confirmation bias keeps John from seeing the truth. Confirmation bias means we tend to see information that supports our beliefs while missing or ignoring contradictory news. And the more naturally confident we are in decision making, the stronger this bias tends to be.
In John’s case, a great deal of feedback is available, but he dismisses it all as whining because it doesn’t fit his bias.
What can you do about affinity and confirmation bias? Here’s a few tips:
- Accept that you’re biased.
- Consider where bias might create risks within your specific responsibilities.
- Seek objective standards and processes that reduce this risk.
- Challenge your beliefs.
- Welcome others to challenge your beliefs too, even if only as devil’s advocates.
In conclusion, remember that confidence, while necessary for leadership, can be a two-edged sword – one that strengthens our biases and reduces our effectiveness. Regaining this effectiveness is a matter of accepting we’re biased and recognizing the risks, then actively seeking objectivity and fresh perspective. This allows us to make more grounded and informed decisions.