Your Unconscious Bias Speaker | Sondra Thiederman, Ph.D.

Unconscious Bias

SONDRA’S VIEWS ON UNCONSCIOUS BIAS

Dear Visitor:
You probably wouldn’t be at this web site if you weren’t to some degree confronted with the challenges of unconscious bias.

Perhaps you are facing the impact of unconscious bias on hiring and promotions. Maybe the damage is manifested in relationships with customers or clients or in the inability to retain a diverse workforce that – research firmly shows — enhances your organization’s ability to succeed.

No matter what your specific challenge, you have stumbled into an area that is both fascinating and mysterious and, at times, a little scary.

That fascination along with a desire to relieve the problems that biases create is why I have spent upwards of 25 years working in this area. In the course of that time, I’ve come to six conclusions – let’s call them principles – that shape and inform my presentations and my thinking.

Principle #1: There’s a lot we can do to both manage and defeat unconscious bias. Whereas there was a time when most believed that unconscious bias could not be defeated, extensive research has proven otherwise. (Research Blog #1, Research Blog #2, Research Blog #3)

Principle #2: Having a bias does not make people bad. We all have biases; it’s what we do about them that matters.

Principle #3: There are immediately applicable techniques for becoming aware of many unconscious biases. It’s a matter of alertness and commitment and habit.

Principle #4: Identifying what we have in common is a key strategy for defeating unconscious bias. The idea is to simultaneously value diversity while focusing on what we share.

Principle #5: Another element in the fight against unconscious bias is to encourage respectful and courageous dialogue.

Principle #6: The tools for defeating unconscious bias are tangible and immediately applicable. Yes, unconscious biases may seem mysterious and scary, but the solutions are not.

I’d love to hear your comments and how your point of view compares to mine.

Here’s to defeating unconscious bias,
Sondra T.

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Her Knowledge

HER KNOWLEDGE

Honored as a “Pioneer in Diversity” by Profiles in Diversity Journal, Sondra Thiederman, Ph.D. has been immersed in the topics of unconscious bias and workplace diversity/inclusion for nearly three decades.

Sondra holds a Ph.D. in Cross-Cultural studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. Over the years, she has authored a number of highly regarded books, journal articles, blogs and presentations, all aimed at enhancing the understanding of how to defeat the unconscious biases that so damage our workplaces and our nation.

Sondra’s work in the field of diversity and inclusion continues to this day; she researches the unique problems of her varied clients, preparing resources and presentations that enlighten, engage, and encourage change. She works with companies and media outlets around the world in her mission to help organizations move beyond bias.Sondra is the author of a number of books including:

Profiting in America’s Multicultural Marketplace: How to Do Business Across Cultural Lines
Bridging Cultural Barriers for Corporate Success: How to Manage the Multicultural Workforce
Getting ‘Culture Smart’: Ten Strategies for Making Diversity Work
Making Diversity Work: Seven Steps for Defeating Bias in the Workplace
The Diversity and Inclusion Handbook
3 Keys to Defeating Unconscious Bias: Watch, Think, Act

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Her Clients

HER CLIENTS

Sondra’s client list spans industries and associations ranging from aerospace (The Boeing Company) to Finance (Ernst and Young) to health care (The Mayo Clinic) to communications (AT&T) and beyond.

Sondra feels privileged to have had the opportunity to work with clients of all sizes to defeat the biases that so negatively impact their organizations. She works hard to hone the material to fit client goals, adjust for the learning style of the audience, and to integrate industry-specific examples.

Click here to find your industry and feel free to contact our office for information on how a presentation can be tailored to your needs.

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“Sondra made us laugh, think and change while providing specific strategies for diffusing unconscious bias.”

– Susan Maxfield, Diversity Manager, City and County of Denver

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Sondra’s View On Unconscious Bias