PURPOSEFUL HUSTLE BLOG

Traditionally, companies’ hiring practices have been anything but equitable and inclusive. They use language that targets male over female candidates (whether intentionally or not), they discriminate against older employees, and they tend to reject candidates with “Black-sounding” names far more than candidates with “white-sounding” names. All this is problematic, hurtful, and, of course, discriminatory. When bias is baked into a company’s hiring practices, that tends to shut the door on many qualified candidates before they even have a chance to interview. Fortunately, it is possible to reform a company’s hiring practices through intentional action and strategy. Here are 6 ways to make that happen...

It’s human nature to seek comfort. Our brains have evolved to create strong bonds within our social group and to seek out similar individuals. This desire to stay within our comfort zone is stronger than ever during the holidays – a time when we’re surrounded by family, friends, and loved ones. But while the holidays are a great time to relax and recharge, they’re also a perfect opportunity to step outside your bubble and mingle with people who you might not encounter on a daily basis. Why choose to expand your horizons and meet new people? Having one-on-one interactions with a variety of people is one of the best ways to combat deeply held biases (whether conscious or unconscious). When you’re exposed to people of different genders, races, religions, socio-economic backgrounds, etc., you begin to realize that the world is a lot more complex (and interesting!) than you may have thought. You will also chip away at the unconscious biases you may hold. Here are five tips to help you step outside your comfort zone and meet new people during the holiday season:

Our brains have evolved over thousands of years to take mental shortcuts. We are capable of processing about 11 million pieces of information per second, but only 40 pieces of information is processed consciously (while the vast majority happens subconsciously). Because of these neuro-shortcuts, when we meet new people, we tend to automatically make snap judgments about them. Years ago, this was a safety mechanism. Our brain’s amygdala, which controls our fight or flight reflex, would give a signal to run/react/fight in the face of the unknown. Today, that animal impulse still lingers in the form of unconscious bias. Obviously, the human race has come a long way over the past couple thousand years, but that has only complicated unconscious bias, not eliminated it. Now, instead of fearing unknown entities, we might instead believe social narratives about certain groups of people. According to Renee Navarro, Vice Chancellor of Diversity and Outreach at UCSF, “Everyone holds unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups, and these biases stem from one's tendency to organize social worlds by categorizing.” Categorizing. Mental shortcuts. Unconscious processing. While these cognitive tendencies might occur instinctively, that doesn’t give anyone a free pass to hold onto their biases. It is our collective responsibility to acknowledge unconscious bias and work to change the narrative (both in society and within our own heads). Start with these 6 steps...