Why We Must Stay Alert to Bias- Especially in Organisations

Bias is one of the most silent forces shaping human behaviour. It slips in through the side door of our thinking, often unnoticed, influencing decisions, perceptions, and relationships long before we have a chance to pause and reflect. Over the past few years, through my work and involvement in a range of organisations across the Eastern Bay of Plenty and wider New Zealand, I have seen - again and again - how easily bias can colour judgment, affect group dynamics, and even distort organisational culture.

Not always malicious. Not always intentional. But always influential.

From community spaces to health and emergency-service settings, from leadership rooms to informal team environments, biases show up in many forms:

• Social and cultural biases shaped by our upbringing;

• Familiarity biases, where we trust what feels known rather than what is accurate;

• Perception and memory biases, where what we “see” is filtered by what we expect;

• Belief and behavioural biases, where assumptions become ‘truths’;

• Group-think tendencies, where people follow the loudest or most dominant voice;

• Decision-making biases, where shortcuts replace clarity; and•

 Illusions of control, where confidence outweighs evidence.

These are not academic concepts sitting in textbooks - they are lived realities in our workplaces, committees, training rooms, volunteer organisations and professional environments. I have witnessed how quickly a harmless assumption can snowball into unfair treatment. I have also seen the opposite: people who pause, reflect, and correct themselves, creating a culture where dignity and respect remain at the centre.

How We Can Manage Bias - Individually and Collectively

Awareness is the first step, but action is what shifts a culture. Some practical ways to keep bias in check include:

1. Slow down your thinking. Fast decisions rely heavily on instinct — and instinct often reflects our biases. A pause creates room for clarity.

2. Ask yourself, “What is the evidence?”Most biases collapse when held up against facts, patterns and real behaviour.

3. Challenge your first impression. The first thought is automatic. The second thought is intentional.

4. Invite other voices into the room. Diverse perspectives interrupt group-think and broaden understanding.

5. Get comfortable being wrong. Growth is impossible where defensiveness lives.

6. Observe your emotional reactions. Sometimes your ‘feeling’ about someone is actually your bias, not their behaviour.

7. Build cultures where speaking up is safe. Bias thrives in silence; it weakens when people feel able to respectfully name what they see.

A Personal Note

In the organisations I have served in around the Bay and across New Zealand, one lesson has stayed consistent: bias is everyone’s responsibility. Not just leaders. Not just professionals. Every day, people, ordinary moments, small interactions - these shape the tone of an organisation far more than any formal policy.

The goal is not to become perfect. The goal is to become conscious. When we do that, fairness becomes possible, truth becomes visible, and our relationships become grounded in integrity rather than assumption.

Quote to close:

“Our biases don’t make us bad people, but ignoring them does. Growth begins the moment we choose truth over comfort.”