At Harvard Business Review, Ben Fuchs, Megan Reitz, and John Higgins consider the responsibility of identifying our own blind spots—the biases, privileges, and disadvantages we haven’t admitted to ourselves. It’s important (and sometimes bruising) work—all the more important if you’re in a privileged position that gives you the leverage to make a difference for others.
To address inequality of opportunity, we need to acknowledge and address the systemic advantages and disadvantages that people experience daily. For leaders, recognizing their advantage blindness can help to reduce the impact of bias and create a more level playing field for everyone. Being advantaged through race and gender come with a responsibility to do something about changing a system that unfairly disadvantages others.
