S1E58 - Unconscious Bias: My training story

In this episode, Daniel Barnett explains why he’s doing unconscious bias training

Everyone has biases and we can't get rid of them. So this is not about being in the wrong. On the training session, Selwyn Blyth will raise your awareness of the (unintentional) impact of bias - and offer practical suggestions for how to minimise the negative impact at work. 

A lot of the learning comes from watching and interacting with scenes delivered by professional actors based on real-life workplace events. You can influence what happens by suggesting how they adapt their behaviour [no role play is required]. This "forum theatre" approach brings the issues to life. 

There will also be panel discussion, interactive chat and polling during the session. You won't feel lectured - our aim is to engage you. 

The training is split into three parts.

The first part involves theory around cognitive  biases and heuristics (mental shortcuts).  We'll include some tests where you are shown pictures of people and your instinctive biases are measured, so you can discover whether you are ever susceptible to unconscious bias.  We'll learn about affinity bias ('mini me') and confirmation bias ('halo or horns').

The second part involves role playing and practical exercises.  Selwyn will, together with two actors, use 'forum theatre' to present different scenes.  The first is a (male) manager mishandling a case of poor performance.  The second scene is based on a man in his late 40s making a request for  flexible working to look after a child; this is mishandled by a (female) manager.

You watch the scenes without interruption and then, through online feedback and discussion (volunteers only - nobody picked on) you will faciliate feedback for the manager on how to handle the situation better.  The actors replay the scenes taking on board the feedback, and you can interrupt with suggestions in the online chat box if you are not happy with how it is progressing.

The third and final section of the course explores four strategies for reducing the impact of bias: (1) challenging commonly held stereotypes  in an organisation; (2) seeking situational reasons for outcomes; (3) changing perception of relationship with out-group  members; and (4) being an active bystander.

If you'd like to join Daniel and be part of this half day training, he’s asking for a £30+VAT contribution towards the fees that he’s paying to Selwyn and the two actors. Assuming he covers those fees, he'll also donate £2,000 to the Runnymede Trust, which is a charity and thinktank that aims to “challenge race inequality in Britain through research, network building, leading debate and policy engagement”, and which is funded entirely by donations.

There are 25 free places, only for those who genuinely can’t afford (not for those who don’t want to ask their boss, or whose boss says ‘no’).  The discount code to claim a free place is: FREEPLACE .  The code will only work for the first 25 people to use it, so PLEASE don't be use up one of those free places unless you and your employer genuinely cannot afford the course.


♨️ IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
This podcast is published by (c) Employment Law Services Limited.  The information in this video is for general guidance only and, although the presenters and publisher believe it was correct at the time it was recorded, the law may have changed since then.  You should always seek your own independent legal advice.  Any employment law explained applies to England, Scotland and Wales only.

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