Case Study Roundup

Unconscious Bias

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Case Study Overview

Helping a Leader Uncover Unconscious Bias to Improve Communication, Staff Connectivity & Reduce Anxiety

Read Time: 3 minutes

Client: County Agency

Product: Culture 5 – 4 Check-Ins, 5 Questions, 120 days

Anxiety Rating: High

Staff Connecting: 28% Connecting

Value to Leadership

  • With the help of an executive coach, the CEO unlocked unconscious bias around their communication skills/ strategies
  • Managers reported feeling Tired, Stressed & Overwhelmed from expending their energies on training/ coaching/ mentoring staff, with no feedback from leadership on how they could help
  • Anxiety levels of both Staff & Senior Leaders negatively impacted Well Being and Culture scores at 90-120 days, the CEO became acutely aware of Managers & Staff Anxiety (stressors) expressed in the data, finally took action to improve the situation to slow Anxiety spiking across the organization
  • At 120 days, Anxiety & Connecting stabilized, but there was still room for continuous improvement

Leadership Profile

  • Organization was in a fast-growth mode through program development over 12+ months
  • Staff workload was broad & heavy
  • CEO felt that they maintained a strong, open and candid relationship with managers & staff

Outcomes

  • The participation rate was a healthy 86-94% during the 120-day period
  • Based on the Feelings Index & level of Anxiety expressed by staff, the CEO had an unconscious bias about the strength of their relationship with employees and managers
  • The unconscious bias was clearly demonstrated by a 0% Connecting of Team Members at 60 days and a 0% Connecting of Senior Leaders at 90 days

Requested Leadership Behaviors Expressed:

30 days:    Ask Us How We Are Doing & Offer to Help
60 days:    Help Balance the Load/ Avoid Burn-Out
90 days:    Help Balance the Load/ Avoid Burn-Out
120 days:  Delegate Responsibilities & Trust Us

Metric Goal

Culture Score = Contributing/ Performing
Well Being Index = Stable/ Energized
Anxiety Rating = Managed/ Minimal
Feelings Index (Connecting) = Higher % the better

Milestones

Between 60-90 Days:

  • There was a consistent discussion with the Executive Coach & CEO regarding the high anxiety level throughout the organization
  • The level of connecting with Staff & Managers continued to diminish, driving Anxiety up across the organization
  • There was a discrepancy in the connection between Staff & Managers because the requested leadership behaviors/ needs were not addressed or communicated by the leader

About the author

Will Gladhart
William Gladhart
Chief Marketing Officer