The importance of mindset to Unconscious Bias training engagement

Trainer Dr Karla Benske recently completed delivery of some Unconscious Bias training workshops.  She summed up her experience in a LinkedIn post:

"Over the past eight months, I have had the great pleasure and privilege to facilitate a series of Unconscious Bias workshops for @Time Out on behalf of @InEquilibrium.

As an organisation Time Out had decided to make participation mandatory for all their staff, from the top leadership team right through to the teams on the shop floor, during a time when there was great uncertainty due to the impact of the global COVID 19 pandemic.

What made my work with all of them special, was the fact that, without fail, they approached the topic with an open-mind, a willingness to learn, being inquisitive and happy to explore a topic that can be very uncomfortable to tackle.

In the many years that I have run workshops on Unconscious Bias, I have never had a more consistently engaged audience, regardless of their individual roles or where they were located across the world. In addition, I was impressed that the participants were very aware of the fact that the workshops represented a starting point for the organisation to develop and create their own specific response on how to become more inclusive in the future. They understood the value of enhanced self-awareness on an individual and organisational level as an essential precursor to developing and designing an action plan going forward.

I wish them all the very best for the future and look forward to witnessing how their plans to be a more inclusive and diverse organisation will allow them to learn, grow and enhance their brand."

Unconscious Bias training has received its fair share of negative press in recent months.  However, Karla's post confirms the value such training can have when the mindset and engagement of both the participants and organisation are right.  It highlights why our advice is that one-off training isn’t enough to change behaviour in the long-term. To really tackle unconscious bias in a sustainable manner an enduring strategy and investment, which is not just financial, is required.

To support such a strategy, we can provide consultancy and training at the beginning of a project and specific follow-up corporate coaching further down the line.

Please get in touch if you would like to find out more about our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training, consultancy or corporate coaching services.

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