Bias Interrupters & Neutralizers

Transcription

1 Bias Interrupters & Neutralizers

2 Better Practices Programs to enhance career opportunities for women attorneys, including: targeted business development and leadership training on communication styles, emotional quotient (EQ), leadership presence, and strategic career planning; sponsorship programs, which match women associates with partners; initiatives to strengthen relationships with clients; efforts to address intersectionality in women s initiatives to ensure that programs support women of color; and efforts to enhance gender diversity on corporate boards. Adapted from New York City Bar 2015 Benchmarking Report and Managing Partners Toolkit & Attorney Tool 2

3 Better Practices Innovative efforts to retain and promote minority attorneys, including: engaging practice group leaders in monitoring work allocation protocols and quality of assignments; providing opportunity to expand practice area expertise; intentional pairing of partners and associates, where a partner is responsible for the associate s development; training partners to understand and interrupt implicit bias and develop objective evaluation and feedback methods; implementing bias neutralization trainings for minority attorneys; assessing client team composition and product on the firm s most significant matters; developing multi-year action plans for diverse associates; providing foundational skill-development opportunities; providing associates with executive coaches; and monitoring exit interviews of departing associates. Adapted from New York City Bar 2015 Benchmarking Report and Managing Partners Toolkit & Attorney Tool 3

4 Greater acknowledgement of success factors for women and minority attorneys, combat elevated attrition rates Internal External Internal communication/access to information & work assignments Meaningful engagement with members of firm at all levels Consistent training and skill development Professional development Networking opportunities/access to business development Bar Association/Organization Committee and/or board service Substantive client contact Feedback and evaluations Mentors & sponsors in the greater community Awards/Recognition Mentors & sponsors (via programs and organic opportunity) Promotion to leadership 4

5 Micro-aggressions/Micro-inequities Subtle, often subconscious messages we send that devalue, discourage, and impair performance Facial expressions & body language Name pronunciations and spelling Introductions & descriptors Interactions in communications (e.g. including some, excluding others) Interactions in meetings (e.g. interrupting, idea credit) Comments (e.g. Articulate for a person; or Where are you from? Racial/ethnic associations (e.g. rap music, cuisine) Expectation that an individual represents a gender/racial/ethnic group Feedback and criticism (e.g. angry, hostile, difficult) 5

6 Bias Interrupters (Easy) Everyday interactions Work assignments Work product Education & awareness Consider who you: Greet & engage in conversation Sit next to in meetings Invite to lunch/coffee Active listening, eye contact, smile Assess the makeup of your team and work allocation Give timely feedback & advice Encourage organizational training on implicit bias and inclusion strategies 6

7 Bias Interrupters (Moderate) Everyday interactions Work assignments Work product Education & awareness Mentoring/Sponsorship Seek out opportunities to engage with diverse attorneys; Support/empathy Invite diverse attorneys to participate in calls, meetings, client pitches ; Adjust if undervalued work is disproportionately assigned to women/minorities; Track performance of diverse attorneys; where there are challenges, connect with training and development opportunities Develop strategic diversity & inclusion plan that includes trainings & accountability Call out biases Provide protégé with very candid feedback; Leverage power and influence to advance 7

8 Bias Interrupters (Require Courage) Everyday interactions Work assignments Work product Education & awareness Mentoring/Sponsorship Schedule meetings with diverse attorneys and affinity groups to hear their concerns, goals, and feedback for fostering inclusion Sophisticated tracking methods for work assignments Give useful feedback & advice Regularly review diversity metrics & success of current initiatives to identify barriers to inclusion - tie to goals, and take active role in informing employees of successes and challenges, hold others accountable; Conduct anonymous surveys to get feedback on culture & offer anonymous, third-party complaint channel (e.g. ombudsperson) Engage senior members of firm and nondiverse attorneys in inclusion efforts; Tie compensation to mentor/sponsorship program 8