If you are human, you are biased.From this fundamental truth, diversity expert Howard Ross explores the biases we each carry within us. Most people do not see themselves as biased towards people of different races or different genders. And yet in virtually every area of modern life disparities remain. Even in corporate America, which has for the most part embraced the idea of diversity as a mainstream idea, patterns of disparity remain rampant. Why?
Breakthroughs in the cognitive and neurosciences give some idea why our results seem inconsistent with our intentions. Bias is natural to the human mind, a survival mechanism that is fundamental to our identity. And overwhelmingly it is unconscious.
Incorporating anecdotes from today’s headlines alongside case studies from over 30 years as a nationally prominent diversity consultant, Ross help readers understand how unconscious bias impacts our day-to-day lives and particularly our daily work lives. And, he answers the question: “Is there anything we can do about it?” by providing examples of behaviors that the reader can engage in to disengage the impact of their own biases. With an added appendix that includes lessons for handling conflict and bias in the workplace, this book offers an invaluable resource for a broad audience, from individuals seeking to understand and confront their own biases to human resource professionals and business leaders determined to create more bias-conscious organizations in the belief that productivity, personal happiness, and social growth are possible if we first understand the widespread and powerful nature of the biases we don’t realize we have.
Howard J. Ross, a lifelong social justice advocate and founding partner of the nationally recognized diversity consulting firm Cook Ross, Inc., is the author of Reinventing Diversity: Transforming Organizational Community to Strengthen People, Purpose, and Performance (2011), Everyday Bias: Identifying and Navigating Unconscious Bias in our Everyday Lives and Our Search for Belonging: How Our Need to Connect is Tearing Us Apart (Barrett Koehler, 2018) His work has been published by the Harvard Business Review, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and Forbes, and he has worked with Fortune 500 companies across a variety of industries. He resides in Washington, DC.www.howardjross.comhttps://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Bias-Identifying-Navigating-Unconscious-dp-1442258659/dp/1442258659/
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