We all see the world from our own view point.
This view is influenced by how we value experience, knowledge, economics, aesthetics, altruism, power and tradition.
When we are confronted by a person who sees the world differently, these views could be called biases.
Neither right or wrong, nor good or bad, biases are simply a reflection of our personal view point.
Oftentimes, this personal viewpoint is unknowingly injected into the hiring process even when it is not relevant to a specific position or to the organization itself.
When this happens, it creates a barrier, preventing us from selecting true superior performers.
Today we have laws that keep us from acting on our biases as they relate to gender, age and nationality, but there are still biases that get in the way.
For the last 30 years, I have observed organizations hiring people that were not the best candidate for the position to avoid any potential liability from an EEOC claim.
There is nothing in the law that says you must hire an inferior candidate.
The law simply states that you, and any of the systems you use, cannot discriminate against the protected group(s).
I do not intended to provide you with a way to get around the law, but rather to provide you with a system for hiring that does not allow typical human biases to enter into the process.
We all see the world from our own view; however, sometimes this view may not be in the best interest of the position or the organization.
Many people are also unknowingly biased on experience, education and intelligence, and this keeps them from selecting superior performers.
In addition, people bring much more to the job, including their passions, beliefs, personal skills and behaviors.
Perhaps one of the most important personal skills is that of personal accountability, and most companies are not aware of its importance, nor do they have a way to measure it.
