Bias in a Team Setting

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== Abstract ==
 
== Abstract ==
Bias in a team setting mainly casts light on the fact that members of a project team can have conscious or unconscious bias towards other team members and colleagues. It is therefore under the scope of project management.  
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Bias is the instinctive feeling we have towards people, potentially without having a reason for the feeling that appears. But the feelings play a strong part in how we act towards and treat other people. You have made an unconscious decision on how you feel about someone.<ref name="SocialTalent">socialtalent, Siofra Pratt, 2016. https://www.socialtalent.com/blog/diversity-and-inclusion/9-types-of-bias. Retrieved February 10th 2021.</ref>  Some well-known biases are gender and racial bias. Neuroscientist Erik Kandel estimated that 80-90% of the human brain works unconsciously meaning that even though you try to be unbiased, a part of you will still exhibit a form of bias. <ref name="Forbes">Forbes, Eric Mosley, 2019. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmosley/2019/11/05/how-to-identify-and-mitigate-unconscious-bias-in-the-workplace/?sh=9201f93600af. Retrieved February 10th 2021.</ref>
This wiki page will first go through what bias is and the types of bias you could meet when working in a project team – both as a team member and project manager. Afterwards the article will go into how you as a project manager can mitigate and control some of these biases as the facilitator of the group.
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Since bias is a very personal and psychological thing it can be difficult to foresee what you will meet and have to deal with as the project manager, but there are certain biases that have been identified to be the most common ones, which will be presented in this article.
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Your biases are often something you have developed from social influence and often never with bad intent, but it affects how we behave and perceive things from our peers.  In a team setting, bias affects how we perceive our colleagues and behave towards them and it is therefore under the scope of project management.  
  
The human is raised with bias from society in different forms and being 100% unbiased is not a realistic goal. Most biases are unconsciously present and the first step in mitigating bias is therefore to make yourself aware of potential bias underneath the surface and make it conscious.
 
 
This article will investigate how bias can affect all members of a group including the project manager. It can present as early as when the team is being created before project start and in all subsequent phases. To combat the bias you should always be aware of your surrounding colleagues - both as a project manager and team member.
 
 
The article will end with the limitations that may present when trying to become conscious of bias and working to mitigate it.
 
  
 
== The Big Idea ==
 
== The Big Idea ==

Revision as of 15:49, 10 February 2021

Contents

Abstract

Bias is the instinctive feeling we have towards people, potentially without having a reason for the feeling that appears. But the feelings play a strong part in how we act towards and treat other people. You have made an unconscious decision on how you feel about someone.[1] Some well-known biases are gender and racial bias. Neuroscientist Erik Kandel estimated that 80-90% of the human brain works unconsciously meaning that even though you try to be unbiased, a part of you will still exhibit a form of bias. [2]

Your biases are often something you have developed from social influence and often never with bad intent, but it affects how we behave and perceive things from our peers. In a team setting, bias affects how we perceive our colleagues and behave towards them and it is therefore under the scope of project management.


The Big Idea

What is Bias?

The general idea of the concept of bias

The types of Bias in a Team

The most common types of bias you can run into

Application

How to Mitigate the Bias as a Project Manager

When you have become aware of bias, how do as a project manager work against these biases

How to Mitigate the Bias as a Team Member

When you have become aware of bias, how do as a team member work against these biases

Limitations

References

  1. socialtalent, Siofra Pratt, 2016. https://www.socialtalent.com/blog/diversity-and-inclusion/9-types-of-bias. Retrieved February 10th 2021.
  2. Forbes, Eric Mosley, 2019. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmosley/2019/11/05/how-to-identify-and-mitigate-unconscious-bias-in-the-workplace/?sh=9201f93600af. Retrieved February 10th 2021.
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