CIICPD 2023

2. Methodology This study focuses on instinctively driven unconscious biases experienced and described by managers from varied ranks in ŠA, as participants of the Diversity Wins @ VW project aimed at implementing DEI principles into the company environment. Seen as examples of critical incidents, i.e. real-life situations representing a memorable experience with a high significance to the person concerned were recollected and discussed in a set of group activities during the training sessions aimed at understanding the unconsciously biased behaviours and reactions in the managers’ teams’ dynamics. In the form of oral and written testimonies, anecdotes or personal stories from their leadership practice, the participants brought up their unconscious experience into conscious awareness in a set of the training activities and discussion fora. Based on that, they were trained to recognise, understand and deal with dysfunctional instinctive reactions to the so called ‘pitfall situations’ in their workplace, and learned how to manage diverse teams more effectively. A set of nudges, as a form of modern management tools, served them as avenue to enhanced, more responsive leadership skills. Altogether, approximately 2,000 direct superiors from across all hierarchy ranks, including the Board of Management, were trained between September 2020 and September 2021. The training involved dividing them into groups of up to 14 participants in a series of two laboratories. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, a four-hour laboratory I (Lab1) took place online using the Zoom platform, allowing for interactive activities. Lab1 in the context of ŠA, was divided into three sections: the first focused on recognising one’s own feelings and emotions, the second on first-hand biased interpretations, and the third on conscious analysis and practical solutions of varied situations from the participants’ practices. The aim of Lab1 was to help leaders understand how unconscious biases, based on making quick judgements, affect the dynamics and cooperation in the workplace, and how they can work with them efficiently. Laboratory II (Lab2) was developed in the form of e-learning and the participants completed it after 6 months from participating in Lab1. Lab2 was structured as a Lab1 content review and a final online test in which the participants not only answered knowledge-based questions, but also contributed with further pitfall situations solved by means of suitable nudges. They were also prompted to contribute with self-developed nudges. Lab1 trainings were led by trainers from a professional agency and two trainer tandems from the company partner, Škoda Auto University (ŠAU). Data subjected to analysis for this study were taken from training sessions led by two tandem trainer teams (the authors of this text) from ŠAU. Representing a smaller sample from the total number of trainings, over 230 managers, all Czech speakers, participating in 17 training sessions, were analysed, out of which the vast majority were male with only a few female managers of varied degrees of seniority. The participants in each group represented all management levels of the company hierarchy, covering low, middle, as well as high-ranking managers. This group structure gave the training a great diversity of experience. The participants reported leading teams varying between small ones below 10 employees and those approximating 100 workers, diverse in terms of gender, age, ethnicity, nationality and professional backgrounds.

85