Natalie discusses how personal biases and experiences shape interactions and team norms. Teams are made up of individuals with diverse backgrounds, so members bring different biases and "interactional baggage." This can lead to inaccurate perceptions and judgments between members if not addressed. She encourages understanding one's own biases by reflecting on strongly held beliefs and their origins. While people have a right to their beliefs, they do not have the right to treat others unfairly due to biases. Self-awareness of biases and monitoring interactions for signs of bias-charged reactions are important for building cohesion.

1. @natalie
warnert
OWNING YOUR BIAS
Natalie Warnert – #AD16
September 15, 2016

2. @natalie
warnert Natalie
Warnert
www.nataliewarnert.com
@nataliewarnert

3. @natalie
warnert
Teams are diverse
entities whose norms
are formed by the
individual and
collective experiences
of their members.
How experiences
shape them are
sometimes readily
apparent; other times
they are not.
“ ”

4. @natalie
warnert
THIS LEADS TO
INTERACTIONAL
BAGGAGE

5. @natalie
warnert
PERSONAL ACTIVITY
What are some inaccurate perceptions
people have made about you?

6. @natalie
warnert
MY INSPIRATION #WOMENINAGILE
Intimidation from a lack of diversity
Men: 3%
Women: 9%
Why are you less involved in the agile
community than you would like to be?

7. @natalie
warnert
MY INSPIRATION #WOMENINAGILE
Intimidation from a lack of diversity
Men: 3%
Women: 9%
When you think of women specifically,
why do you think they are less involved in
the agile community?
Intimidation from a lack of diversity
Men: 60%
Women: 33%
Why are you less involved in the agile
community than you would like to be?

8. @natalie
warnert
UNDERSTANDING PERSONAL BIAS
1. Look at a belief you hold strongly
2. Identify the reasons for it
3. Understand and recognize your right to your
belief
4. Identify reasons for different beliefs and
approaches
5. Understand and recognize that people who have
different beliefs have the same rights
6. Be willing to integrate other people’s
information as well as ours into our approach to
helping
7. Understand how this belief influences your
behaviors and interactions
8. How will you remain self-aware of this
influence?
http://www.perinatalprofessionals.org/images/cs_for_pros_handouts.doc

9. @natalie
warnert
UNDERSTANDING PERSONAL BIAS
1. Look at a belief you hold strongly
2. Identify the reasons for it
http://www.perinatalprofessionals.org/images/cs_for_pros_handouts.doc

10. @natalie
warnert
Individuals
create their
own social
reality from
their
perception
of the input
-Wikipedia
“ ”

11. @natalie
warnert what does this
mean for
teams?

12. @natalie
warnert
diverse
individual experiences
and interactions
lead
to diverse team
experiences and
interactions

13. @natalie
warnert baggage
collected through these interactions
and experiences
influences
perceptions, behaviors,
judgements.
team norms
that result are directly affected

14. @natalie
warnert
IT’S AWKWARD
TO ADDRESS

15. @natalie
warnert
WHAT DOES SOCIETY PERCEIVE
SOFTWARE
DEVELOPER
SOFTWARE
TESTER
PROJECT
MANAGER
MANAGER.
MOST POPULAR IMAGE (PERSON) BY SEARCH TERM

16. @natalie
warnert
WHAT DOES SOCIETY PERCEIVE
FEMALE
SOFTWARE
DEVELOPER
FEMALE
SOFTWARE
TESTER
FEMALE
PROJECT
MANAGER
FEMALE
MANAGER.
MOST POPULAR IMAGE (PERSON) BY SEARCH TERM

17. @natalie
warnert
THESE
IMAGES
SAY A LOT

18. @natalie
warnert
WE SAY
WE
WANT
diverse teams
WE
WANT
effective
interactions
BUT WE
IGNORE
our different
experiences,
emotions, and
societal
pressures that
lead us to
interact with
each other
differently

19. @natalie
warnert how do we
own our
interactions?

20. @natalie
warnert by admitting
we have
biases

21. @natalie
warnert
UNDERSTANDING PERSONAL BIAS
1. Look at a belief you hold strongly
2. Identify the reasons for it
3. Understand and recognize your right to your
belief
4. Identify reasons for different beliefs and
approaches
5. Understand and recognize that people who have
different beliefs have the same rights
http://www.perinatalprofessionals.org/images/cs_for_pros_handouts.doc

22. @natalie
warnert
In every
human
interaction
there is an
emotional
aspect – what
people are
feeling,
attitudes based
on past
experience that
are shaping
their
perceptions.
- Closing the
Interaction Gap
“

23. @natalie
warnert
BEHAVIORS AVOIDANCE CREATES
“Past histories of poor interaction between groups can
breed resentments that are difficult to overcome. Even
positive emotions can get in the way of effective interaction.
People or groups who like and respect each other may
hesitate to speak up about problems or share their ideas for
fear of offending the other party and upsetting the
relationship.”
Defensiveness – natural reaction is to defend your position –
your style of working has created success in the past so the
problem must be with the other people. – It’s easier to see in
others than ourselves
-Closing the Interaction Gap

24. @natalie
warnert
FOUR FATAL FLAWS
TOWER OF BABEL
Failing to create a shared language around
interaction
THE GRAVITY OF HABIT
Understanding the power of group norms
ONE AND DONE
Failing to transfer skills from theory to
reality
HEAD OVER HEART
Ignoring the impact of emotions and
defensiveness
Closing the Interaction Gap

25. @natalie
warnert
COHESION
CONVERGENCE
CONFORMITY
UNDERSTANDING GROUP NORMS
Is the group conforming around norms that work against effective interaction? Is this
influencing the diversity of the group?
Closing the Interaction Gap

26. @natalie
warnert
THIS ALL LEADS TO
BIASED
INTERACTIONS
GROUP
NORMS
SOCIETY EXPERIENCE
PERCEPTION

27. @natalie
warnert
UNDERSTANDING PERSONAL BIAS
1. Look at a belief you hold strongly
2. Identify the reasons for it
3. Understand and recognize your right to your
belief
4. Identify reasons for different beliefs and
approaches
5. Understand and recognize that people who have
different beliefs have the same rights
6. Be willing to integrate other people’s
information as well as ours into our approach to
helping
7. Understand how this belief influences your
behaviors and interactions
8. How will you remain self-aware of this
influence?
http://www.perinatalprofessionals.org/images/cs_for_pros_handouts.doc

28. @natalie
warnert
WE HAVE A RIGHT
TO BELIEVE WHAT WE WANT
-JUDGEMENTS
-STEREOTYPES
-PREJUDICE
-BIAS

29. @natalie
warnert
WE DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT
TO TREAT OUR TEAMMEMBERS UNFAIRLY
BECAUSE OF OUR BELIEFS OR PRESS OUR
BELIEFS ON TO OTHERS

30. @natalie
warnert
WE DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT
TO TREAT OUR TEAMMEMBERS UNFAIRLY
BECAUSE OF OUR BELIEFS OR PRESS OUR
BELIEFS ON TO OTHERS
WE MUST PREVENT THE JUDGEMENT FROM
BECOMING A BIAS-CHARGED INTERACTION,
REACTION, OR BEHAVIOR

31. @natalie
warnert it is hard
to be
self-aware

32. @natalie
warnert
WHAT CAN WE CHANGE?
Get to know people who buck or break
your stereotypes and judgements
Learn about the roots of stereotypes,
judgements, and bias in your own life
Leave processing time or retrospect
on personal thought processes
Practice self-awareness and
emotional intelligence

33. @natalie
warnert
WHAT CAN WE CHANGE? CTA!
How will you measure growth?
What are your goals for future
interactions?
What does improvement and success
look like?
Formulate a plan with specific
actions and timelines

34. @natalie
warnert
WHAT DID I
DO?

35. @natalie
warnert
KEY TAKEAWAYS
IDENTIFY
Personal bias (implicit
or explicit),
judgements, and
understand the roots
ACCEPT
That you have the right
to believe what you
want
MONITOR
How we interact with
others in spite of or
because of our bias
and create an action
plan to improve

36. @natalie
warnert
THANKS
FOR COMING
www.nataliewarnert.com
@nataliewarnert