The Leader's Guide to Unconscious Bias

July 27, 2020
Fuller, who works on leadership issues of bias and inclusion at consulting firm FranklinCovey (of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People fame), debuts with a useful toolkit for organizations looking to face institutional- and individual-level unconscious bias. The first step, she writes, is discounting the idea that bias means one is “inherently ill-intentioned or morally flawed,” which makes people reluctant to acknowledge, and thus to take action against, their own biases. She then guides managers through ways to make workers feel “respected, included, valued,” and hence motivated to achieve at a high level, using FranklinCovey’s Bias Progress Model. This strategy calls for employers to “choose courage” by making a conscious commitment to diversity and inclusivity initiatives and to educate themselves about where bias comes from and cultivate the habit of being on the guard against it. Fuller’s tone is encouraging without letting readers off the hook, and she provides a plethora of tools for nurturing diversity and inclusion—worksheets, scripts, strategies, reflection questions, and so on. As those familiar with the FranklinCovey brand are likely to expect, this is a clearheaded, no-nonsense approach to addressing bias in all the places it may be found. Agent: Shannon Marven, Dupree Miller & Assoc.

Starred review from September 1, 2020
Fuller, Murphy, and Chow, industry consultants and executives, explore unconscious (or implicit) bias and its impact in the workplace. Each chapter contains data, observations, and anecdotes, and ends with helpful exercises for readers to reflect on the way bias has shaped their perceptions, values, and beliefs. The authors show how understanding how different types of biases can greatly affect workplace culture and relationships among employees. Confirmation bias, for example, occurs when we seek information that supports our existing beliefs or perspectives; in workplaces, this plays out as holding a preference to work with someone who thinks the same as we do and reject others who may not. Negativity bias occurs when we judge colleagues who are different from us in terms of their age, job functions, or the way they speak. ("This never would have happened if someone older was in charge.") While they cover everything from hiring practices to career advancement, the authors note that reading this book alone will not solve bias problems. Mindfulness, bias awareness, and implicit bias training are needed as continuous practices. This timely book is full of opportunities for leaders and employees to rethink how to address and mitigate bias mistreatments in the workplace.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

October 1, 2020

Coauthors Fuller (thought leader, inclusion and bias, and global client partner, FranklinCovey), Mark Murphy (senior training consultant, inclusion and bias, FranklinCovey) and Anne Chow, (CEO, AT&T Business), use the FranklinCovey Performance Model to show how unconscious bias can negatively impact the work environment by causing employees to feel tolerated or ignored, or even harassed or abused, rather than respected and valued. The structure of the book is built around the company's Bias Progress Model, with each of the sections following one of the model's four parts: identify bias, cultivate connection, choose courage, and apply across the talent lifecycle. Each chapter ends with multiple exercises that reinforce the content--one set designed for individuals and one for leaders to use in applying the material to their team. VERDICT Zealous branding aside, the authors speak from experience and provide solid advice for improving how we work (and live) together. Will appeal to a broad readership, particularly managers looking to add to their leadership toolbox, but also anyone who wants to check in on and work through their own unconscious bias.--Sara Holder, Univ. of Illinois Libs., Champaign

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.