Quote:
Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall
I have to say that this is the most frustrating response I get at the firm. It is so oblivious to the actual problem being addressed--namely that the people being trained to look at their own actions with some new perspective need to, you know, understand why they act the way they do--that it almost seems intentional. It's like you might see that there's a problem, but you don't want to put any effort into addressing it yourself. If you're going to go to a training session, you just want to be told how to fix it as if the solution is as easy as screwing in a light bulb.
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Me - Here's a problem we need to address: People can't see their own biases. There is a phenomenon called unconscious bias in which all societal cues have caused you to act on biases you don't even know you have and one called confirmation bias in which you look for any evidence at all that confirms a preexisting bias you hold and once you have it, you act accordingly (while ignoring that same evidence in someone who doesn't fit that bias).
Partner - That's interesting. But I'm not racist. I'm a good person. I would never make a decision based on race. What are the solutions to this?
Me - No one is saying you're a bad person. We are no longer talking about overt racism. If the baseline problem is one that you did not know existed, then a better understanding of that problem and the knowledge that you, you know, have it should lead you to make changes on your own.
Partner - How so? We need action items.
Me - Well, we've tried to give you examples. When you're talking to incoming associates, gravitating to the ones who share your interests (and giving them work because you're so comfortable with them) doesn't make much sense if your interests are sailing, golf, equestrian, Cape Cod, and Princeton. You have to understand these things about yourself and then actively avoid making connections and decisions based on them. It's up to you to think about how your unconscious biases and tendency toward confirmation bias affects your decision and your practice. Why do you give all your work to the kid from Greenwich, Connecticut? Why do you describe the woman on your reviews as "sweet and friendly" and the men on your deals as "smart and impressive?" Does it have something to do with biases you have of who is competent professionally that you should investigate?
Partner - So, don't talk about sailing and don't call women, "sweet." Got it.
Me - Jesus fucking Christ.
TM
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It’s hard for me to do this, and it requires constant effort and awareness. It’s just easier to stay in the default state of bonding with those who are “comfortable” to be around. It’s difficult for me to reach outside of my little circle, but I recognize that that’s what I need to do.
There is no “solution,” as frustrating as that is. Most of us don’t even think that there’s a problem in need of a solution (other than our own good faith) - let’s look at building awareness first.
