GUARD AGAINST UNCONSCIOUS BIAS
More than 500 corporate leaders, including nine from Wisconsin, have joined a national campaign to forge a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion campaign was collectively formed and is led by a steering committee of chief executives and leaders from some of the largest corporations in the nation.
The enlightened Wisconsin executives who have joined the initiative include: Rockwell Automation Inc. CEO Blake Moret; Alliant Energy Corp. CEO Patricia Kampling; American Family Insurance CEO Jack Salzwedel; Associated Banc-Corp CEO Philip Flynn; Cielo CEO Sue Marks; Greater Green Bay Chamber CEO Laurie Radke; Northwestern Mutual Insurance Co. CEO
John Schlifske; Oshkosh Corp. CEO Wilson Jones; and Schreiber Foods Inc. CEO Mike Haddad.
The campaign acknowledges that we all have unconscious biases that frame decisions we make every day, ranging from the mundane, such as where we sit at lunch, to the profound, such as whom we hire or promote.
Employees asked for it
On a sweltering summer day this past week, Moret became the first Wisconsin CEO to bring the “Check Your Blind Spots” mobile tour road show to his workplace. Beneath the shadows of the Allen Bradley clock, employees voluntarily participated in the exercises on an asphalt parking lot to open their eyes to their own unconscious biases.
Michele Matthai, director of culture of inclusion at Rockwell, said the idea to bring the caravan to Milwaukee came from the company’s employees after the campaign started in June 2017.
“Employees saw it and called and said, ‘Why aren’t we part of it?’” Matthai said.
“I think it comes from both sides. Diverse teams make better decisions,” Moret said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
That’s the “why?” behind Moret’s decision to bring the blind spots caravan to Milwaukee. For this week’s C-Level listicle, I asked Moret, with the help of Darice Brown, external communications manager at Rockwell, to also share the “how?”
1. Recognize that you have biases. “We all have biases based on our past experiences. It’s a mental shortcut. When you check your blind
spots, it enables you to become aware of mental associations, made without intention, that impact our decisions,” Moret said.
2. Identify what those biases are. “Your background impacts the way you see the world. Take time to engage in self-reflection to uncover your personal biases,” Moret said.
3. Explore the impact of biases. “Become aware of patterns in your behaviors and decisions. Many times our decisions are impacted not by what is in front of us, but by what we interpret in front of us,” Moret said.
4. Find ways to expand your world view. “Engaging with people who are different than you can bring new perspective and provides diversity of thought when decision making,” Moret said.
5. Create a safe space for meaningful dialogue. “Tell your story and listen to the stories of others. Be curious and courageous to discuss complex issues,” Moret said.
6. Practice empathy. “Be an active ally. Avoid stereotyping and over-generalizing. Speak up when you notice bias,” Moret said.
7. Mitigate the negative impact of unconscious bias. “Slowing down to think objectively about our interpretations before taking action is the best way to interrupt bias. Addressing unconscious perceptions can have a profound effect on the lives of many people, including ourselves,” Moret said.