How can managers facilitate discussions without bias?

As a manager, you may need to facilitate discussions among your team members, stakeholders, or clients. However, facilitating discussions without bias can be challenging, especially when dealing with complex, controversial, or sensitive issues. How can you ensure that you create a fair, respectful, and productive environment for dialogue? Here are some tips to help you avoid bias and foster constructive conversations.

1 Define the purpose

Before you start any discussion, make sure you have a clear and specific purpose for it. What are the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the discussion? How will they align with the overall vision and mission of your organization? How will they benefit the participants and the stakeholders? Having a well-defined purpose will help you set the scope, agenda, and expectations for the discussion. It will also help you avoid irrelevant, distracting, or misleading topics that may introduce bias or confusion.

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NGOZICHUKWUKA CATHERINE ONWUCHULUBA

Financial Accountant,Mentor, Confidant and Guide. I am your personal guide on the journey of growth
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Managers can facilitate discussions without bias by: 1. Acknowledging and Addressing Bias: If biases become apparent, address them openly. Acknowledge the potential for bias and work collaboratively to mitigate its impact on the discussion. 2. Active Listening: Pay careful attention to what each person is saying. Avoid interrupting and ensure everyone has an opportunity to express their views. 3. Anonymous Feedback: Allow for anonymous input, especially in sensitive discussions. This can help individuals share their thoughts without fear of repercussions.

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Andrew Hulbert MSc FIWFM

Non Exec ¦ Founder ¦ Speaker ¦ Private Equity ¦ Author ¦ ESG Leader ¦ 30⨯ Awards Winner ¦ AI Engineer ¦
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Managers can facilitate unbiased discussions by setting clear expectations for inclusive dialogue. Encourage diverse perspectives, actively listen to all team members, and intervene if bias emerges. Foster an open environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing ideas. Use structured meeting formats to ensure equal participation and consider anonymous input mechanisms. Provide diversity and inclusion training to increase awareness. Regularly assess and challenge personal biases. Lead by example, demonstrating fair treatment. Create a culture that values diverse opinions, fostering a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere that benefits from a wide range of perspectives.

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2 Establish the ground rules

Another important step is to establish the ground rules for the discussion. These are the norms and guidelines that will shape the behavior and interactions of the participants. For example, you may want to agree on how to respect each other's opinions, how to listen actively and attentively, how to ask questions and provide feedback, how to handle disagreements and conflicts, and how to share the speaking time and space. You may also want to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the facilitator, the participants, and the observers. By setting the ground rules, you will create a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for the discussion.

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3 Use neutral language

As a facilitator, you have a significant influence on the tone and direction of the discussion. Therefore, you need to be careful about the language you use. Avoid using words or phrases that may imply judgment, preference, or bias towards certain ideas, perspectives, or people. For example, instead of saying "That's a good point" or "That's a bad idea", say "Thank you for sharing your point" or "Can you explain your idea further?". Instead of saying "You are wrong" or "You are right", say "I see it differently" or "I agree with you". Use neutral language that invites curiosity, openness, and diversity of views.

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Divya R

Advocate | PhD Scholar | State & University Rank Holder | POSH & POCSO - Trainer & External Member
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When facilitating discussions without a clear basis, employing neutral language becomes paramount for effective communication. Consider a scenario where a manager is leading a discussion about potential process improvements without a specific basis. Instead of using language that might imply a preference for a particular approach, the manager could say, "Let's explore various methods to enhance our processes. Please share your thoughts on different strategies that could contribute to efficiency or identify potential areas for improvement." This neutral language avoids steering the conversation in a specific direction and encourages team members to freely contribute their ideas.

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4 Ask open-ended questions

One of the best ways to facilitate discussions without bias is to ask open-ended questions. These are questions that require more than a yes or no answer, and that encourage the participants to elaborate, clarify, or justify their thoughts and opinions. For example, you can ask "What are the advantages and disadvantages of this option?", "How do you feel about this situation?", or "What are some alternative ways to approach this problem?". Open-ended questions will help you stimulate critical thinking, generate insights, and explore different perspectives.

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5 Provide equal opportunities

Another key aspect of facilitating discussions without bias is to provide equal opportunities for everyone to participate and contribute. This means that you need to be aware of and address any potential barriers or challenges that may prevent some people from joining or engaging in the discussion. For example, you may need to consider the diversity of backgrounds, cultures, languages, personalities, and preferences of the participants. You may also need to consider the accessibility, availability, and suitability of the tools and platforms you use for the discussion. You can use various strategies to ensure equal opportunities, such as using polls, surveys, breakout rooms, chat functions, or icebreakers.

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6 Seek feedback and improvement

Finally, you can facilitate discussions without bias by seeking feedback and improvement. After each discussion, ask the participants and the observers to share their opinions and experiences. What did they like and dislike about the discussion? What did they learn and gain from the discussion? How did they feel and behave during the discussion? What suggestions do they have to improve the discussion? By collecting and analyzing feedback, you will be able to identify and address any issues, gaps, or biases that may have affected the discussion. You will also be able to enhance your skills and performance as a facilitator.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Heather Connery-Leggett BA, MBA, CMgr FCMI, MCTAA

Managing Director | Consultant | Advisor | Change & Transformation Expert | Cultural Anthropologist | Therapist | Accredited Coach | ESG Advocate |
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People come to management/ leadership for different reasons, have different perspectives, and values. When I have designed any course I have always started with a reset of a person in order for them to know themselves before managing/ leading others. This has taken shape through the use of diagnostics, challenging perceptions, etc. Accepting we all have bias', recognising what they are, and then managing those is key. Therefore, once in a senior role when one needs to participate in a dialogue, especially when they hold hierarchical power, it should be done from a place of awareness of bias, and making sure from an integrity perspective the bias isn't making the decisions

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Katherine Putnam,CSM PMP

Portfolio Manager
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Self awareness and emotional intelligence needs to be encouraged and practiced with intention by all involved. To err is human. We must be kind to ourselves and each other if we hope to achieve impactful change. Biases may go unnoticed by an offender and create low-key and/or outward resentment within an audience/team/community. It is important to establish trust and communication channels so the hurt group may have faith that sharing their feedback will be heard and respected. The bias they point out will resonate with the offending member in due course.

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How can managers facilitate discussions without bias?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Define the purpose

2 Establish the ground rules

3 Use neutral language

4 Ask open-ended questions

5 Provide equal opportunities

6 Seek feedback and improvement

7 Here’s what else to consider

Management

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How can managers facilitate discussions without bias?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Define the purpose

2 Establish the ground rules

3 Use neutral language

4 Ask open-ended questions

5 Provide equal opportunities

6 Seek feedback and improvement

7 Here’s what else to consider

Management

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