Cathy Liska What is Unconscious Bias? Vanderbilt says: “prejudice or unsupported judgments in favor of or against one thing, person, or group as compared to another, in a way that is usually considered unfair.” The challenge of course is that if it is unconscious, how can it be identified? Start with the premise that all humans have biases – conscious ones we are aware of and unconscious bias. So, we know we do have biases. 
Now we can begin the work of identifying unconscious biases. A few of the ways to do this include:
- Deep personal reflection.
- Being open to what others say.
- Asking for feedback.
- Researching unconscious biases.
- Working with a coach to explore unconscious biases through reflection and questions.
Once unconscious biases are discovered, we can work on moving past them:
- Reflect on reasons for the unconscious bias.
- Consider the validity of the unconscious bias.
- Decide whether to accept or change the unconscious bias.
- Determine what to change.
- Explore strategies.
- Define actions.
- Manage progress and accountability.
For many, working with a coach is the greatest tool for identifying and moving past unconscious biases. It will be important to find a coach that has completed their coaching certification and has training in the areas of biases and diversity.
Each person that undertakes this work becomes their own best self while also bettering the world around them.
