Why your remote status might be sabotaging your career and how to stop the 'out of sight, out of mind' trap.
Good, well-intentioned people unwittingly engage in actions that can cause others to feel excluded, especially when they are participating remotely. Proximity biases are types of cognitive biases that involve unintentional exclusion of colleagues because they are “out of sight, out of mind.” For example, location bias occurs when people working remotely are not considered for inclusion in meetings, processes, work assignments, etc. because they are less visible, and colleagues simply don’t remember to include them. Presence disparity happens when colleagues participating in meetings by phone or videoconference cannot engage fully; for example, by participating in informal networking before and after meetings or picking up on nonverbal communications that are not fully visible to remote participants. Further, face-time bias causes people to view those who are in the office as more committed to the organization, which leads to more favorable evaluations and promotion opportunities. Attend this workshop to learn more about how to combat these types of unconscious bias and brainstorm solutions that could be implemented to combat proximity biases.
Participants will create their own personal action plan to disrupt proximity biases to create a more inclusive workplace environment.
Award-Winning Diversity, Equity & Inclusiveness Consultant | Fortune 100 DEI Training Specializing in Unconscious Bias Education
Kathleen Nalty is a lawyer, author, and expert in diversity, equity, and inclusion. She works as a consultant with a wide variety of organizations, including law firms, corporations, nonprofits, and government organizations across the U.S. and Canada. In 2015, she published a “how to” book for law firm leaders entitled Going “All-In” on Diversity and Inclusion: The Law Firm Leader’s Playbook that includes new tools for advancing diversity and inclusion. In April 2017, Kathleen was invited to give a TEDx talk – Diversity Makes You Smarter – at the University of Colorado. Kathleen founded the Center for Legal Inclusiveness (CLI) in Denver, Colorado in 2007 and led the nonprofit as its Executive Director through January 2013. In this role, Kathleen developed the only “how to” manual for legal organizations with a comprehensive step-by-step process for removing hidden barriers to retention and creating an inclusive workplace. In 2012, Kathleen led 10 half-day training sessions across the U.S. on diversity and inclusion for the Minority Corporate Counsel Association as part of its new Academy for Diversity & Inclusion. Kathleen also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law School from 2012-2018, where she taught a course on diversity and inclusion. Kathleen earned a B.A. from the University of Denver and a J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School. After law school, she was selected to participate in the Attorney General’s Honors Program at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. As a federal civil rights prosecutor in the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division, Kathleen worked on cases involving hate crimes, police brutality, and slavery. Kathleen has earned 12 awards for her thought leadership and advocacy in DEI and social justice. To learn more about Kathleen, visit www.kathleennaltyconsulting.com.
