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Leadership Biases

For some leaders, their leadership can seem abstract and they have no intentionality with

how they lead. I have always wondered sitting across from some of our executive leadership if

they truly understand the weight of their position outside of the power and authority that it

wields. Within that leadership role, they must contain their own unconscious biases that bleed

over into their leadership conversations, decision making and vision for their team, command, or

organization. Unconscious bias is a form of “social categorization,” whereby we rapidly and

routinely sort people into groups (Brainard, 2017). These biases impact how we connect with

others, recruit, hire, and innovate in our organizations. The Leader Member Exchange Theory

(LMX) discussion on in and out groups defines these groups in a few ways to include their level

of engagement and interest (Belzer, 2014) but does the leader exhibit unconscious biases before

classifying these individuals into the in-group or out-group? How does the bias impact equity in

how in-groups are formed to be more inclusive of diversity? There is dual responsibility of

creating engagement or interests in the interaction but more emphasis is on the leader who has a

broader understanding for the importance of the development of the relationship with the

follower to create the outcomes of equal success for all followers.

Self-Serving biases seems to be another area where leaders will falter in their leadership

if they do not realize they default to this type of bias. I recall a very busy month last year with

several field related incidents that occurred from wild fires, line of duty loss, and everything in

between. During the long stretch of work that had to be accomplished, there were many

accolades being handed out from executive management on the good work and the chief was all

smiles and lauded the work of good leadership. In the same breath, the commissioner received

information that one of our commands was late on something administrative and began to inquire
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about the information and wanted immediate follow up and to get them an answer. Literally, in

the midst of chaos. The email chain illustrated how the chief would get it immediately and the

commander would be addressed for the delinquency. However, when the chief came to give the

assistant chiefs the message to deliver, it was tailored more sensitively versus the perception

within the email to his boss. I found this self-serving on two fronts due to the perception with

the commissioner and the perception with us.

This example is just a small glimmer of what occurs consistently whether in big board

meetings or small side bar meetings. People who want to put themselves in a better light than

someone else and when things are great, they were a large part of the success. However, when it

is falling apart at the seams, they are looking for the piece that created the unraveling. Of course,

there is fault in all of us somewhere, at some time, but ethical leadership is having the courage

and humility to admit when you are wrong. Ethical leadership calls for the leader to have a heart

of service and be willing to sacrifice their ego and pride for the sake of others and in the interest

of what is right. Work harder for those who do not have a voice at the table and stand for others,

not just with those they want to impress or have the power of promoting them. Ultimately, there

are no formulas for courage. We develop it through determination and practice, self-forgiveness

when we fail, and growth when we learn (Kellerman, 2007).

Leadership Traits and Characteristics

Strategic leadership types and how the influence or impact an organization was an

interesting way to look at how I see myself in the organization in comparison to how I see those

above me lead. The management styles that are derived from those that are challenge seeking

and those that have a need for control create a leadership style that is consistent with your basic

tendencies and preferences (Nahavandi, 220). What I feel I face often is the Status Quo
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Guardian (SQG) who reigns over the organization and is challenge and risk adverse. I feel they

choose this space because that is how they were brought up in the organization by those before

them and it is a safe zone. If you do not create too much change, there will not be too much

dissention. I felt like I was always looking in and on the outside of things with the way I was

thinking about on many situations, strategic planning for the future of the organization and our

succession planning. In these instances, I recognize that I am clearly a follower seeking

inspiration from my leadership. Often the purpose exists and we come together around it. If the

purpose is not clear and motivating, leaders and followers can only pursue their perceived self-

interest, not their common interest (Chaleff, 1995). This was a difficult space to find myself in

after so many years with the department and being in leadership for many of those years. I also

saw myself sometimes in the area of expressing loyal dissent but weighing which battles I was

willing to sacrifice for the advocacy of the fight. For context, these would be discussions in a

room filled with all men, very little diversity, and very congruent in their way of thinking.

I suppose that is the dilemma in an of itself with regard to finding that common interest

around the purpose in a paramilitary organization. The purpose is simply and clearly defined as

the mission. The mission is succinct. However, the many moving parts to the very large

machine that runs the organization to accomplish the mission is where the gray area of purpose

gets cloudy and the framework of our values, beliefs, and leadership are challenged. This

suggests that an ethical focus should extend beyond the leader to also include the follower. There

are no leaders without followers, and while those in authoritative positions have legitimate

power, followers are not powerless (Chaleff, 1995).

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CONCLUSION

As a follower, although not powerless, it felt like there were not enough similar followers

with the same perspective to make much of an impact. At this point, you continue to be a bold

voice in a room filled with disparity and then you also remind yourself that your purpose is

greater than the table your sitting at and the room you are in. The Aristotelian assumption that

people generally strive for a good life, a life of well-being and human flourishing. Since the role

of follower is one that is played regularly, it is a role that should be played well (Chaleff, 1995).

As a follower with the same leadership authority and responsibility, the traits and

characteristics that help me to navigate this conflict of unconscious and self-serving bias on the

ethical landscape of gender equity and diversity, are mounted on the armor of my own

leadership. My followers deserve my best and I work to accomplish that through traits of

humility, integrity, emotional stability, perseverance, boldness and self-confidence. The

characteristics that I lean most on are having a positive attitude, effective communicator,

creativity, flexibility, compassion, passion, empathy, resilience, development of people and

inspire someone, even myself, daily. Collectively, the leadership traits, characteristics and

approach to navigate the landscape of unconscious and self-serving biases in executive

leadership is some of the framework to create change toward gender and diversity disparities in

the industry.
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REFERENCES

Belzer, Jana. (2014, March 13). Group 6: Leader Member Exchange Theory. [Video File].

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaeBgSoneaE

Chaleff, Ira. (1995). The Courageous Follower. Retrieved from The Dynamics of the Leader-

Follower Relationship. Retrieved from https://ole.sandiego.edu/bbcswsebdav/courses/LEPSL-

540-MASTER/M5/The_Courageous_Follower.pdf

Kellerman, Barbara. (2007). What Every Leader Needs to Know About Followers. Harvard

Business Review, 14-16. Retrieved from https://ole.sandiego.edu/bbcswebdav/courses/LEPSL-

540-MASTER/M5/FollowershipHBR-What%20Ever.pdf

Navavandi, Afsaneh. (2015). “The Art and Science of Leadership” (7th ed.). New Jersey:

Pearson, 2015. Print.

Brainard, Michael. (2017). The Impact of Unconscious Bias on Leadership Decision Making.

Forbes: Forbes Coaches Council. Retrieved from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/09/13/the-impact-of-unconscious-bias-

on-leadership-decision-making.