TCSE: Ted Corpus Search Engine

Recorded at	October 25, 2021
Event	The Way We Work
Duration (min:sec)	05:47
Video Type	Original Content
Words per minute	231.29 very fast
Readability (FK)	67.04 very easy
Speaker	Kim Scott and Trier Bryant


1	00:00	Kim Scott: We all have our biases, the set of assumptions that we make and the things we don't notice about people's race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, appearance and other traits.
2	00:12	They come from the part of our mind that jumps to conclusions that we might not even be aware that we have.
3	00:18	Trier Bryant: I really can't tell you the number of times people assumed I was a receptionist when I was an executive at the company.
4	00:25	KS: That kind of bias gets in the way of good collaboration, performance and decision making.
5	00:30	TB: It creates an invisible tax of resentment and frustration.
6	00:34	The more frustrated we are, the more silent we are likely to be.
7	00:37	And the more silent we are, the less we may be able to do our best work.
8	00:40	The good news, though, is bias is not inevitable.
9	00:44	[The Way We Work] TB: So here’s how to disrupt bias in three steps.
10	00:50	The first step is to create a shared vocabulary.
11	00:54	Sometimes bias shows up in big, embarrassing gaffes, but more often it comes out in the little words and phrases we choose, which are packed with assumptions.
12	01:02	In meetings, especially, these often go unnoticed or, even worse, people notice but don't know what to say.
13	01:10	That's why we recommend coming up with a shared word or phrase that everyone agrees to use to disrupt biased attitudes or behaviors.
14	01:17	Examples teams are using are "bias alert," "stop light" or even throwing up a peace sign.
15	01:22	KS: Leaders often ask us to give them the "right words," but the best words are the ones your team will actually say, not the ones that leaders impose.
16	01:31	So talk to your team.
17	01:33	My very favorite is the one that you recommended, Trier: “purple flag.”
18	01:38	When someone says or does something biased, we'll say "purple flag."
19	01:42	Maybe we'll even wave a purple flag.
20	01:45	It's not a red flag.
21	01:46	It's a friendly purple flag.
22	01:48	TB: It helps us become more aware of our blind spots.
23	01:51	KS: Purple flag.
24	01:52	TB: Purple flag.
25	01:53	Thanks for pointing that out.
26	01:55	I've been noticing lately I use a lot of sight metaphors that often portray disabilities, like being visually impaired, in negative ways.
27	02:01	But I'm committed to doing better and working on it.
28	02:04	KS: I am too.
29	02:05	Another great shared vocabulary trick is to ask members of your team to respond to bias with an "I statement."
30	02:11	An "I statement" invites the other person in, to understand things from your perspective rather than calling them out.
31	02:17	Like, "I don't think you're going to take me seriously when you're calling me honey," Or “I don’t think you meant that the way that it sounded.”
32	02:24	Usually, when people's biases are pointed out to them clearly and compassionately, they apologize and correct things going forward.
33	02:32	Usually, but not always.
34	02:34	TB: That brings us to the second step: create a shared norm for how to respond when your bias is pointed out.
35	02:40	KS: when my bias is flagged, I can only be glad that I’m learning something new if I can move past the shame.
36	02:47	I hate the idea that I've harmed someone.
37	02:49	And when I feel ashamed, I rarely respond well.
38	02:53	So it's really helpful to have that shared norm so that I know what to say in those moments.
39	02:58	TB: We recommend you start with: “Thank you for pointing that out.”
40	03:02	It took courage for that person to disrupt the bias, so it's important to acknowledge that.
41	03:06	Then there are two choices on what to say next.
42	03:08	One, "I get it," or two, "I don't get it.
43	03:12	Could you explain more after the meeting?"
44	03:14	KS: The other day, you and I were recording a podcast and I said, "HR serves three masters," and you waved the purple flag.
45	03:21	I knew what I had done wrong.
46	03:23	Why was I using a slavery metaphor?
47	03:25	We hit pause, I thanked you, and we rerecorded.
48	03:29	It was no big deal.
49	03:30	The thing I love about the purple flag is how efficient it is.
50	03:34	TB: Flagging the bias didn't prevent us from getting the work done.
51	03:37	In fact, it helps us work together more honestly.
52	03:39	KS: It's even harder when I don't know what I did wrong.
53	03:42	Once, I asked someone out to lunch.
54	03:44	Out came the purple flag.
55	03:45	I had no idea why, so I was relieved to know what to say next.
56	03:51	"Thank you for pointing it out, but I don't get it.
57	03:53	Could we talk after the meeting?"
58	03:55	Afterwards, the person reminded me that they were fasting for Ramadan.
59	03:58	It instantly made sense to me, and I discovered something that I could be more aware of.
60	04:04	But to get to awareness, I had to move through shame.
61	04:07	It was hard to say, "I don't get it."
62	04:09	The shared norm helped me listen and learn rather than getting defensive.
63	04:13	The fact that there was a norm at all reassured me that other people are making similar kinds of mistakes and that we're all learning together.
64	04:21	TB: Disrupting bias may start off feeling uncomfortable, but with time and consistency, we can build the stamina we need to push through it.
65	04:28	When it becomes routine for us to notice our biases, all of a sudden, they feel less threatening.
66	04:33	It's hard to break bias habits, yet we can change the pattern with consistent effort.
67	04:39	KS: We've got to be patient with ourselves and with others.
68	04:42	TB: Patient and also persistent.
69	04:44	Which brings us to our last step.
70	04:46	Once a team has come up with a shared vocabulary and agrees on the shared norm for how to respond, the team should commit to disrupting bias at least once in every meeting.
71	04:54	KS: If bias isn't flagged in a meeting, it doesn't mean there wasn't any bias.
72	04:58	It just means either nobody noticed or nobody knew what to say.
73	05:02	When we are silent about bias, we reinforce it.
74	05:06	And it can't be just the targets of bias who point it out.
75	05:10	Observers and leaders have got to speak up.
76	05:13	We all have a responsibility.
77	05:15	TB: By making a practice of disrupting bias quickly and kindly, we prevent it from metastasizing into something worse, like prejudice, bullying, discrimination or harassment.
78	05:25	KS: Bias disrupters: a shared vocabulary, a shared norm and a shared commitment ensure that we notice and learn from the mistakes that we are all making so that we can work better together.
79	05:36	TB: When we collaborate, we use our full capacity as humans to get more done collectively than we could ever dream of accomplishing as individuals.
80	05:44	So let's stop letting bias get in the way.

Kim Scott and Trier Bryant: How to reduce bias in your workplace