How to Challenge Your Own Biases and Learn from the Experience
Challenging personal biases is a crucial step towards personal and professional growth. This article explores various strategies to identify and overcome biases, drawing on insights from experts across diverse fields such as cultural communication, team building, and data analysis. By examining real-world examples from industries like insurance, transportation, and forex trading, readers will gain practical knowledge to enhance their decision-making skills and broaden their perspectives.
- Embracing Cultural Diversity in Communication
- Building Stronger Teams Through Diverse Thinking
- Short-Form Content Proves Effective in Insurance
- Listening First Improves Driver Retention
- Balancing Quantitative and Qualitative Data
- Expanding Services to Diverse Corporate Clients
- Embracing Automation in Forex Trading
Embracing Cultural Diversity in Communication
When I first started working as a UX researcher in tech, I assumed that being clear and direct was the best way to communicate. This was what I had been trained to do in U.S. work culture. However, while interviewing global teams and executives from other countries, I realized that some people weren't comfortable with that style.
Initially, I thought they were just being vague. Then I realized I was viewing their communication through my own cultural lens. I had to check my bias and learn to value different ways people express ideas, especially in more indirect or relationship-focused cultures.
That experience taught me that bias isn't always obvious. Sometimes it shows up in what we think is "normal." Now, I lead with curiosity instead of assumptions, especially when working with diverse teams.
Building Stronger Teams Through Diverse Thinking
One of the most formative moments in my leadership journey came when I realized I was hiring in my own image. I had unconsciously started building teams filled with people who shared similar communication styles, work rhythms, and even backgrounds. At first, it felt efficient—decisions got made quickly, and there was natural alignment. But over time, I noticed a lack of friction that should have been a red flag. Projects lacked the creative tension that leads to innovative outcomes.
When a candidate challenged a team decision during a panel interview—offering a perspective that didn't match mine but clearly improved the idea—I had a wake-up call. I revisited my hiring frameworks, brought in structured checks for diversity of thinking, and made inclusion a first principle, not a footnote.
Since then, the teams I've built have been stronger, more dynamic, and more capable of navigating complexity. That experience taught me that true progress doesn't come from harmony—it comes from healthy, intentional disagreement built on mutual respect. Letting go of my bias toward familiarity allowed me to step into much better leadership.
Short-Form Content Proves Effective in Insurance
Challenging my own bias:
I used to believe short-form content was a waste of time in the insurance space. I was convinced that no one would trust a 30-second video or a tweet to explain something as complex as liability coverage.
Then we tested it.
We ran a 15-second TikTok explaining what "comprehensive" really means. It outperformed every long-form explainer we'd ever published in terms of engagement and shares. Not because it went deep, but because it piqued someone's interest enough to learn more.
What I learned:
My bias was rooted in my preference for learning, not in how audiences behave. I thought clarity required length. In reality, clarity comes from focus. Sometimes, one punchy sentence does more than a thousand careful ones.
The audience decides what works. Not you. Not me. Test everything. Let go of what "should" work and follow what does.
Listening First Improves Driver Retention
I thought the driver was lying when he said he was stuck in traffic. It turns out he was helping a woman who was being robbed.
It took place on a Saturday afternoon. One of our best customers was very angry because her driver didn't show up on time. My prejudice kicked in: "Traffic is a classic excuse." I punished the driver without even hearing his side of the story. Later that night, I found out that he had stopped because he saw a robbery happening and stepped in to help. A woman had been cornered at a bus stop. He stayed there until the police got there. What caused the delay? Only 18 minutes. What about that woman's safety? Worthless.
I then rewired our protocol. We now need voice notes with context, which will be reviewed by a panel of drivers instead of automatic penalties. Since we started doing that, we've seen a 35% drop in unfair penalties and a surprising 20% rise in driver retention. This is because they know we listen first and judge later.
This experience destroyed my belief that accountability has to happen right away. Sometimes, the only way to be honest is to take your time with the decision.
Balancing Quantitative and Qualitative Data
Early in my career, I assumed that data-driven decisions always meant relying strictly on quantitative metrics. During a product launch, I pushed hard for scaling based on early sales figures alone. However, feedback from our customer support team suggested underlying usability issues that numbers hadn't captured. I had to confront my bias toward hard data and realize that qualitative insights were equally vital. By pausing to incorporate these softer signals, we adjusted our roadmap and avoided a costly product flop. This experience taught me that balance is key—numbers tell a story, but they don't tell the whole story. Challenging my bias opened the door to a more holistic approach, improving both our product and team collaboration.
Expanding Services to Diverse Corporate Clients
When we were expanding our services to incorporate more varieties of corporate customers, I encountered an instance where I had to confront my prejudices. Initially, I assumed that corporate clients with high budgets would only care about luxury services and that lower-budget clients were less valuable for long-term growth. This bias caused me to rule out everything but upmarket services, ignoring the fact that there were alternative ways to serve smaller or less traditional customers.
Feedback and market observation made me realize that with a diverse customer base, there were all sorts of ways Angel City Limo could grow that I hadn't considered. Meanwhile, smaller businesses enjoyed the personal treatment just as much as larger companies and became sources of repeat business. I discovered that offering flexible pricing and custom packages opened up a larger market while still maintaining a premium service.
By confronting my prejudices, we not only reached a larger customer pool, but I also gained a deeper understanding of the extent of market possibilities, leading to Angel City Limo's growth and improved customer retention.
Embracing Automation in Forex Trading
Questioning my own assumptions has been a crucial part of my personal development and professional achievements as the CEO of TradingFXVPS. One memorable moment occurred early in my journey when I initially undervalued the impact of algorithmic strategies and automation in the forex industry. I had assumed that human judgment and instinct were always superior, but as I began delving into innovations in trading systems, I realized my viewpoint was stifling progress within my organization. By educating myself on the advantages of automated processes and carefully examining market trends guided by these technologies, I discovered their ability to deliver quicker execution, minimize emotional decision-making, and create more streamlined approaches.
This change in mindset enabled me to introduce initiatives that embraced automation, resulting in measurable improvements in client outcomes and operational performance. I understood that clinging to outdated beliefs can hinder advancement in a field as fast-changing and adaptable as forex trading. This experience also underscored the value of lifelong learning and being open to fresh ideas, especially in a leadership capacity. My commitment to overcoming this bias not only transformed the way I approach trading techniques but also enhanced my capability to predict shifts in the market and position TradingFXVPS as a leader in technological progress within the sector.
