Using EPPJ
As mentioned on the theory page, the notion that we (humans) are naturally objective, tolerant and open-minded is fallacious. The aim then becomes to support, educate and empower people to be consciously aware of their inherent personal and professional biases, so that they can be significantly more effective in executing their role and function.
The Consciousness/Constructiveness Axis
The starting point in achieving this must be to recognise that, when an individual claims to be non-judgmental, they are denying the existence of both internal prejudices and external systemic inequalities. By denying these aspects of themselves, they are missing an opportunity for real reflection. The responsibility for managing this lies with both the individual and the professional system in which they operate. Recent research has shown that, in infrastructures where this is recognised, overall functioning of the system is enhanced. The challenge lies in ensuring that individuals understand and own their biases, and that, once understood, this can be used in a positive, rather than negative, way.
How can this be done? First, we should note a key finding of a recent study1: that people tend to fall into one of four categories. These categories form what is called the consciousness and constructiveness axis (CCA).