Course Overview

At any given moment our brains are receiving 11 million pieces of information. Yet, we can only consciously process about 40 of those pieces. To make sense of the rest, we rely on our subconscious to filter information. Our brain does this using generalizations, beliefs, and stereotypes. This approach to processing information and making decisions can lead to biases we may not be even aware of. These unconscious biases are normal and in many cases they are useful. However, they can cause people to overlook great ideas and ignore an individual’s potential. They can also result in microaggressions. Microaggressions are everyday slights, indignities, put-downs, and insults that demean or offend others. They are often fueled by our unconscious bias, which means we may not even be aware of them and how they lead to exclusionary behavior.

Who Should Take This Course

Individuals that desire to make better decisions by becoming aware of their own biases, responding to microaggressions, and learning practical techniques to operate in a more inclusive manner.

What You’ll Get

During this workshop, you will:

• Decode unconscious biases by discussing the impacts of our thinking and decision making;
• Learn about the neurological roots of unconscious bias and how it systematically influences our thoughts, perceptions, interactions, and decisions;
• Discover the impact on biases and microaggressions in the workplace;
• Develop skills for recognizing unconscious biases and microaggressions when they appear and learn to apply strategies for intentionally managing and addressing them more effectively; and
• Create a personal and meaningful personal accountability plan for managing moments of bias and addressing microaggressions when they occur.

What You’ll Do

Module 1: Introduction to Unconscious Bias

• Decoding unconscious bias

The neurological roots of bias

Module 2: The Impact of Unconscious Bias

• Impact on our actions, opportunities, confidence, and ability to be ourselves.

Module 3: Strategies for Disrupting Bias

• Explore triggers
• Manage the mindset
• Rethink the people
• Revise the process

Module 4: Defining Microaggressions

• Microassaults
• Microinsults
• Microinvalidations

Module 5: Addressing Microaggressions

• Discern
• Disarm
• Defy
• Decide