How Unconscious Bias Impacts Team Dynamics, According to Leanne Bridges

In a recent LinkedIn post, Leanne Bridges explores the subtle yet significant impact of unconscious bias on team dynamics and employee performance. Bridges highlights how leaders’ preconceived notions, often unacknowledged, can shape their interactions with team members, ultimately influencing those individuals’ behavior and effectiveness.

Bridges begins by prompting readers to consider two distinct individuals within their team: one they inherently trust and another they feel compelled to monitor closely. She points out a critical paradox: neither employee has been explicitly informed of their status, yet both are aware of the leader’s perception.

“You ask the first one what they think in the management meeting. You read the second one’s work before it goes out.”

This stark contrast in treatment, as Bridges illustrates, is not necessarily a conscious decision by the leader but rather an instinctive reaction rooted in pre-existing beliefs about the employees. According to Bridges, the leader’s perception dictates their behavior, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The Cycle of Perceived Performance

Leanne Bridges argues that this unconscious bias creates a detrimental cycle. The employee who is constantly checked upon and doubted begins to exhibit behaviors that confirm the leader’s initial assumptions. As Bridges notes:

“When the second one is late, you put it down to them not being bothered. Or not being up to the job. You’re a bit snippy with them. You’re not with the other.”

This differential treatment, Bridges explains, leads to a decline in the monitored employee’s performance and engagement. They become less proactive, waiting for instructions and seeking constant validation, precisely because they sense they are under scrutiny. Bridges emphasizes that this is not an inherent trait of the employee but a direct consequence of the leader’s perception and subsequent actions.

Recognizing and Rectifying the Pattern

The Impact on Employee Autonomy

The core issue, as Bridges points out, is that leaders often react to what they *already think* an employee is like, rather than objectively assessing their current performance or potential. This can stifle growth and innovation within a team. The employee who is consistently micromanaged may lose confidence and initiative, becoming dependent on external direction.

“The one you check is worse than they were a few months ago. They wait to be told. They run things past you first. Which is what people do when they can tell they’re being watched.”

Bridges suggests that this pattern, while easy to fall into, is also one of the quickest to change once recognized. The key lies in leaders developing self-awareness regarding their own biases and actively working to treat all team members with consistent trust and respect, regardless of pre-existing notions.

Shifting Towards Trust and Empowerment

Ultimately, Leanne Bridges’s post serves as a powerful reminder for leaders to examine their own behaviors and assumptions. By consciously challenging these ingrained biases, leaders can foster environments where all employees feel trusted, empowered, and motivated to perform at their best. This shift, according to Bridges, can lead to significant improvements in team morale, productivity, and overall business success.