Lately, bias has been circling the media outlets. The two types of bias that I've recently read about covered gender bias and age bias. I'm not happy with the coverage I've seen, so I'm going to delve into the topic a bit more and avoid the cheesy and stereotypical responses I saw. Sure we all have a natural bias of some sort. We need a better understanding of how to limit our personal bias.

Ideally we like to think we are open-minded and open to all possibilities. I challenge you to think of scenario that would make you uncomfortable. Take a few minutes to think about why that specific scenario makes you feel that way. Welcome to your bias.

I'm not saying we can eliminate our natural biases, but we can temper them.

Change can make us uncomfortable. We need to focus on the positives that change brings to overcome our reluctance and accept the new.

Diversity in it's broadest form is bringing together things that are different. There are two words that come to mind with this concept, synergy and juxtaposition. Both add valuable context to diversity.

Synergy - simply, the sum of the parts is greater than the parts alone.

Juxtaposition - simply, putting items side by side for comparison.

Ways to limit a personal bias:

• Be Transparent - If you are looking to hire for a specific position, set clear salary tiers based on fair market rates and the responsibilities and/or experiences the position needs. If negotiation possible make that clear to all individuals.

• Engage - If you have some employees that are helping your business shine, don't reward only those that ask. Seek out your top talent and reward them without being asked. This will make them feel valued and noticed.

• Communicate - If there are specific steps for landing a promotion make them clear and easy to understand. It is easier for an individual to excel toward a promotion when they understand how to achieve it.

• Mentor - Have more experienced employees transfer their knowledge to those around them. This can be as specific as a 1 on 1 mentor, or someone training a group. Knowledge loss is one of the hardest things to recover in business.

• Be Gracious - It is very likely someone helped you excel. Remember to return the favor.

One of our Core Values is:

Diverse Perspectives Every individual has a unique perspective. They bring with them their heritage, ideals, education, and dreams. By respecting what each person brings to the table, we can accomplish things we could not achieve on our own.

Diverse perspectives are really important to us here at Startup Chucktown. We believe that an individual should only be measured against their own performance. We are all different but must be treated equally.

Ask these 3 Questions:

• What are they doing personally to excel?
• How are they contributing to the project and team?
• What am I doing to help them excel?