Unmasking Favoritism: How Overcoming Biases Can Transform Your Leadership Style

Admit it. You play favorites.

You have that one person on your team.

The one you can give anything to and you know they’ll get it done quick, better than you would, and be happy to do it.

I know I have.

It’s human to have preferences. We have biases. We go where we feel comfortable.

Just because it’s human doesn’t mean it’s right, though.

Favoritism hurts people. You may not think you’re doing it, but your team can see it.

Here’s what your team sees 👇

You let mistakes fly with some  Someone gets more of your time Recognition for some people more often Youre quicker to respond to some people Promotions are sporadic and not merit-based Quicker development paths and training for some You allow the same voices to dominate discussions You invite and see only certain people after work hours

The desire to be liked, to be nice, and to maintain relationships can influence your actions.

And unchecked, that looks a lot like like acting on your biases and personal judgments.

You can do better than this. You just have to pay attention.

Reflect on your relationships with your team. Where do you spend too much time?