“I’m an older employee,” wrote one UAB staff member, “and leadership has made it clear that I’m no longer part of ‘the team’ because I’m at the higher end of the age range. I feel stuck, humiliated, and frustrated.”

This true story from a UAB staff member is one of a many stories dealing with implicit bias, the unspoken – and often invisible – set of assumptions that each person carries around with them. These assumptions comprise a set of biases that inform the function of every individual, and everyone has biases.

Simply put, a bias is a preference, and not all preferences are bad. Some biases are healthy and intended to aid with our survival – for example, a bias against unsafe heights or small enclosed spaces. Other biases can be harmful, particularly when those biases of which we’re unaware, called unconscious or implicit bias, cause us to act in discriminatory ways toward our colleagues, fellow students, or patients. 

This is the overarching premise for “Understanding Bias,” the second in a series of modules for “The Common Thread: Find Yourself in Everyone.” The Common Thread is a Toolkit, offering resources for dealing with fostering belonging, addressing bias, cultural competency, and conflict resolution. Beginning with a concept launch video early in the spring, “The Common Thread” has been rolling out materials for workshops and discussions throughout the year. 

“The Common Thread” adopts a revolutionary new approach to questions of diversity and inclusion, proposing that diversity efforts by themselves are not only insufficient, but often counterproductive. Diversity, which empirical data indicates leads to greater innovation, insight, excellence, and profitability, is only successful when paired with intentional inclusivity initiatives. The toolkit offers practical resources for building this inclusivity.

“Understanding Bias” includes an introductory video, a downloadable PowerPoint presentation, four TEDTalk-style videos narrated by Dr. James Willig, MD, MSPH narrating the PowerPoint, and PDF documents with discussion questions and citations. All of the materials can be found at uab.edu/theCommonThread.

The two remaining modules will deal with cultural competence and resolving conflict. Evelyn Jones and Laura Heider, both from UAB School of Medicine’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion, are available to lead workshops or seminars based on these materials. Anyone interested in arranging a workshop or seminar on one of the module topics should email lauracoulter@uabmc.edu.

“It is essential for UAB’s institutional excellence that we embrace a paradigm where our differences, along with our similarities, are embraced and celebrated,” says Selwyn Vickers, MD, FACS, Dean of UAB School of Medicine and Vice President, UAB Medicine. “In order to move effectively into the future, we must leverage the strength in our diversity. This toolkit offers practical and meaningful tools to realize this vision.”

All components of the Toolkit to date can be found here.