Beyond first impressions: Diversity, Inclusion and the biases we don't always see

Personal reflections on unconscious bias, understanding individual differences and becoming a more inclusive coach.

Understanding others starts with understanding ourselves. We all like to believe we are fair, open-minded and respectful of differences. I certainly do, but the more I explore diversity, inclusion and unconscious bias, the more I realise that having good intentions doesn't automatically mean we are free from assumptions.

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Diversity is more than what we see

When we think about diversity, we often focus on characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity or disability. These are important, but they are only part of what makes each of us unique.

Recently, I explored the Four Layers of Diversity model by Gardenswartz and Rowe. What I found interesting was how it illustrates the different dimensions that influence who we are. At the centre is our personality, surrounded by internal characteristics, external influences and organisational factors. Our education, upbringing, family circumstances, experiences, professional responsibilities and even where we sit within an organisation can all shape how we see the world.

Perhaps two people can experience exactly the same situation and interpret it completely differently. Neither perspective is necessarily wrong, they are simply influenced by different experiences and ways of understanding the world.

As a coach, I find this relevant because I cannot assume that what feels obvious or straightforward to me will feel the same to someone else.

The uncomfortable truth about unconscious bias

I believe most of us genuinely want to treat others fairly. However, we all develop assumptions through our experiences, environment and the messages we absorb throughout life. Some biases are conscious, meaning we recognise the attitudes influencing our decisions. Others operate more automatically, without us necessarily realising.

What is interesting though about unconscious bias is that it can influence our behaviour even when our intentions are positive. For example, we might naturally feel more comfortable with someone who communicates similarly to us, shares our professional background or approaches problems in a familiar way. Without realising it, we might give that person more time, interpret their behaviour more positively or find it easier to build rapport. Equally, someone who is quieter, processes information differently or approaches decisions more cautiously might be misunderstood.

Do I sometimes interpret confidence as competence?

Do I assume that someone who speaks less has less to contribute?

Am I naturally more encouraging towards someone whose experiences remind me of my own?

I would like to think I don't, but I also recognise that simply believing I am inclusive is not enough. Being aware that I have biases is not a weakness. but refusing to question them would be.

Inclusion in my professional environment

At my workplace, I am fortunate to be part of an organisation where equality, diversity and inclusion are recognised as important institutional priorities. Within my department, this commitment is visible through our active People, Culture and Inclusion Committee and the attention given to creating a respectful and inclusive working environment.

For me, this is important because inclusion should not simply exist in policies or statements. It needs to be reflected in everyday interactions, decisions and opportunities. Working within an academic and research environment also brings together people from different countries, cultures, professional disciplines and career stages. That diversity is one of the strengths of our environment, but it also means we cannot assume everyone experiences the workplace in the same way.

A meeting that feels comfortable and collaborative to one person may feel intimidating to another, or someone may be confident in their technical expertise but less comfortable contributing in a group discussion. Others may face barriers that are not immediately visible.

Our organisational structures matter too. Seniority, professional status and management responsibilities can influence whose voice is heard and how comfortable people feel challenging decisions. This has encouraged me to think more carefully about the difference between inviting everyone to participate and genuinely creating the conditions for everyone to contribute.

Understanding preferences without putting people into boxes

Another interesting part of my learning has been exploring personality preferences, more specifically the concepts of extraversion and introversion, sensing and intuition, thinking and feeling, and judging and perceiving.

These ideas, associated with Jung's work and later personality frameworks such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), offer a way of reflecting on how individuals may prefer to communicate, process information and make decisions. I found this useful because it reminded me that my preferred way of working is not necessarily someone else's. For example, I may want to discuss an issue openly and move towards practical action, while someone else may need more time to reflect before reaching a decision.

I also recognise the limitations of personality frameworks. They can encourage reflection, but they shouldn't be treated as fixed descriptions or scientific predictions of someone's abilities or behaviour.

Understanding differences should create opportunities, not limitations.

What does this mean for my coaching practice?

Recently, I have noticed that I naturally want to help people find solutions. When a coachee shares an experience I can relate to, my instinct is sometimes to reassure them or draw on my own experience. Although this comes from a place of empathy, I am becoming increasingly aware that it can and will also introduce bias.

One of my coachees once explored professional communication and workplace relationships through personal beliefs and spiritual perspectives. This challenged me to remain open to ways of understanding experiences that might differ from my own. This conversation reinforced that inclusive coaching requires more than being non-judgemental, it requires actively questioning my assumptions and recognising when my own experiences are influencing my reactions.

I am also learning that inclusion means adapting my coaching approach. Some coachees respond well to structured questions and practical action planning, others need time, silence and space to explore their thoughts before identifying a direction. My responsibility isn't to expect everyone to engage with coaching in the same way, but to create an environment where different approaches are heard and respected.

The EMCC's EMPOWER approach

The principles of Enhance, Monitor, Personal Development, Open, Will, Engage and Reflection reinforce the importance of consciously developing inclusive practice rather than assuming it happens naturally. For me, three ideas stand out:

Openness: Being willing to explore perspectives that challenge my own understanding.

Personal development: Recognising that becoming an inclusive coach requires continuous learning and a willingness to examine uncomfortable assumptions.

Reflection: Taking time after coaching sessions to consider whether my questions, reactions or expectations may have influenced the coachee.

These connect closely with what I am learning through my apprenticeship.

What I want to do differently

I don't believe becoming more inclusive means reaching a point where I no longer have biases. I think it means developing enough self-awareness to recognise when they might be influencing me and taking responsibility for how I respond. As I continue developing my coaching practice, I want to be more intentional about:

• Questioning my first impressions

• Adapting my communication and questioning to each coachee's individual needs

• Being mindful of cultural differences, organisational hierarchies and power dynamics

• Allowing different ways of thinking, communicating and processing emotions

• Using coaching supervision and reflective practice to challenge my assumptions

  
  

I also want to bring this awareness into my everyday professional interactions, when working with colleagues from different backgrounds and at different career stages. Sometimes inclusion can be as simple as noticing who has not had an opportunity to speak, asking whether a different approach would help someone contribute, or recognising that another person's experience may be very different from my own. These may seem like small actions, but they can make a meaningful difference.

Final reflections

The biggest takeaway from this learning is that diversity is not simply about recognising differences, and inclusion is not just about being kind or treating everyone identically. It is about understanding that people experience the world differently and recognising how our own assumptions can influence the opportunities, understanding and support we offer them.

Working within a company where EDI is actively promoted, gives me opportunities to apply this learning beyond my coaching sessions, though I also recognise that organisational commitments only become meaningful when they influence individual behaviour. For me, this starts with curiosity, humility and a willingness to challenge my own thinking.

Written by YS