Addressing Biases

Clearly one of the most challenging conditions is this right here, especially around race and inequality. We all accumulate beliefs and biases through our life time through life experiences. Biases are highly difficult to just ignore and dismiss as they are part of our subconscious thoughts and become activated very rapidly based upon challenging events that are in front of us. The are deeply rooted in our belief systems. Emotions, as we all have see, play an enormous part in this, with emotions influencing our beliefs. Stress and adverse conditions, without use of emotional management strategies. will consume us to varied and escalating levels of degrees. Basically the emotional part of our brain takes over under these circumstances and creates autopilot and impulsive behaviors-behaviors we often wish we could have prevented with enhanced thinking processes.

What we DO know through the last 20 years of deep research, studies and experience, is that we can train our minds to more effectively and proactively manage our thinking processes with biases. We CAN manage that mental battleground in our brain. The bias may still be there, but we are able to contain it, thereby making better decisions, with better responses. There are dozen of behavioral strategies!

Use of emotional intelligence (EIQ) training is required to achieve this. This involves learning strategies on how to become more self-aware, more emotionally regulated/controlled and more socially (people and group interaction decisions) aware. It also involves elements of mindset management, knowing ones strengths, communicating more adaptively and becoming more resilient to the stressors.

This is not “checklist” or “formulaic” training. If it was that easy, we would not be witnessing the situations we are seeing in the news. It takes systematic training, application and repetition to the situations one faces in their position. While we each have accumulated EIQ “set points”, all evidence is there that each of us can improve from our current level of EIQ.

With a commitment to training, learning and applying use of EIQ strategies, bias management can be more effectively handled. The positive ripple impact to society and all we see in the news is incredible powerful and sustaining. Show your commitment. Have a mindset of believing in the value of doing so. Learn more about how to improve your own (and others) EIQ today.