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Macro Systems has been serving the Metro Washington, DC area since 1997, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Bias Can Impact Your Business from Within

Bias Can Impact Your Business from Within

Regardless of what you assume, a bias is not an inherently negative thing. Still, if not considered rationally, a bias can lead you to make a business decision that does more bad than good. Researchers have studied why we hold the biases we do, and how we can overcome them.

What is a Bias?
This in no way legitimizes the biases that many hold against other groups, but there are a few theories that propose that bias is a survival tool. A healthy skepticism of “the other” likely saved quite a few of our ancestors from dying before they were able to perpetuate the species.

Maureen Berkner Boyt, an expert in examining bias, has another theory that explains the root purpose of bias. According to Boyt, our biases are a tool that our brains utilize to protect us from information overload. The world is filled with stimuli and an increasing amount of information for our brains to process. Boyt proposes that our biases permit our brains to process and sort the information as swiftly as it comes in, acting as a filter.

Otherwise, our powerful brains couldn't process all of the input they receive, creating an overload problem. Essentially, our biases permit us to categorize the stimuli of our environment easier, preventing us from breaking down. Boyt’s theory proposes that biases are more than just specific feelings being associated with particular events or input, they are mental shortcuts that enable us to function. As a result, a safe conclusion to draw is that we are all biased , and that doesn’t mean we’re necessarily evil.

How This Can Lead to Problems in Business
These biases can result in some issues, obviously. Unfortunately, many are associated with some type of prejudice, even though this prejudice isn’t always instantly obvious. These prejudices were merely a subscription to stereotypical beliefs.

Think about an industry that is especially populated more by one gender than another. This may not be easy at first, as it probably won’t stand out, but once you see the disparity, it can be difficult to unsee. This is why the stereotypical beliefs that drive these biases and prejudices can be so hazardous to the decision-making process in many industries.

For example: the propensity for an orchestra to be mostly occupied with male musicians. It's not that these musicians are employed by the orchestra because they are male, but if auditions were held blindly, with no indication of the auditioners’ genders, the male/female balance instantly becomes much closer.

A study of GitHub coders revealed the same preferential lean. While the industry has historically been made up of mostly males, a blind review of the code produced favored code that female coders had developed.

Have You Been Biased in Your Business Decision-Making?
The alarming thing about bias is that, until it is pointed out to you, you can continue maintaining it without realizing it. Furthermore, these shortcuts are exactly that, shortcuts, meaning that the thoughts they create aren’t arising from a rational place. Luckily, there are tools available to help you evaluate yourself for bias. If you don’t mind anonymously sharing your feelings, Harvard’s Project Implicit has quizzes that reveal your biases to a variety of factors.

Still, awareness alone isn’t enough. To paraphrase G.I. Joe, "knowing is only half the battle."

Once you are cognizant that you hold biases, and where they are factoring in and influencing your organization, you can learn to stop yourself and reexamine your viewpoint. Boyd calls these moments “interrupters,” and says they can be effectively utilized as a tool to upgrade your decision making in your business.

As you turn your focus to understanding your biases, we can help you make sure your technology is properly managed. Give us a call at 703-359-9211 to get one more thing off your plate through Macro System’s IT services.

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