Bias is one of the most common problematic personality traits.
The inability to make impartial decisions blocks professional success, and destroys personal relationships. It ranks right up there with other atrocious red-flag personality traits such as indecisiveness, dishonesty, vanity, volatile emotions, lack of analytical ability, and lack of discretion.
Bias comes in many forms, and almost everyone possesses some degree of intolerance, but few seem to recognize one of the key factors in the problem with partiality: the subconscious mind.
Being ignorant of or refusing to acknowledge the power of your subconscious mind as it relates to objectivity is one of the most common errors that kill fair-mindedness.
Your perception of others is obscured by your subconscious fears and defenses. The stronger your unconscious fears and defenses, the more likely you are to misread someone upon first meeting, and the longer it will take you to perceive clearly the person’s authentic character, including strengths and challenges.
Examples of subconscious fears include fear of success, fear of abandonment, fear of losing control, fear of failure, perfectionism, conflict avoidance, and timidity. Examples of subconscious defense mechanisms include defiance, excessive secretiveness, domineering behavior, evasiveness, and self-deception.
Aside from distinguishing indisputable facts, no matter how keen your rapid cognitive function, you are likely to see the person as you are, not as they are. Prejudice (almost nobody is exempt), in varying degrees, is a ubiquitous subconscious fear, no matter what a person tells you otherwise. The truth is, most people simply aren’t familiar with the innate fears and defenses hidden in their subconscious mind, which distort their judgment.
Again, everyone is capable of exhibiting bias to some degree, but a severely prejudiced person can be a significant problem in your personal or professional life. Yet troublesome characteristics on the other side of the spectrum, such as lacking a sense of discernment, excessive naiveté, and gullibility can be equally harmful.
One way to get an idea about the level of innate bias a person may have is to ask his or her opinion about a well-known celebrity or politician. Even better, focus on specific personality traits; ask the person if he or she thinks the celebrity is untrustworthy, for example, if you suspect your new acquaintance may be. Those who lack self-awareness tend to project their flaws onto others. Just keep in mind that being objective about the facts, such as someone already having admitted to wrongdoing, or having been found overwhelmingly guilty in a court of law, is a different matter.
Always keeping in mind the potent influence of your subconscious mind goes a long way in dealing with strife and other interpersonal issues in everyday life.
Besides spending years getting to know someone, a way to uncover authentic personality, beyond the persona, is conventional security investigations (e.g., hiring a private detective). Unconventional security investigations, including those I offer, involving handwriting analysis, are a reliable alternative.
Copyright © 2017 Scott Petullo