Bias discussion

Behaviors Associated with Privilege

Speaking First

Note who talks first in a collaborative team or group session.

Who makes an assumption of being the person who should speak for the group?

Note your observations:

Talking Over Others

Make a note here when anyone gets interrupted or talked over. Who is getting talked over? Who is being interrupted? Who gets the privilege of interrupting? (Or, who gets the privilege of not being interrupted?)

Note your observations:

Taking Credit

Make a note here whenever you notice someone taking credit for another person’s ideas or contributions. (This can be as simple as a person repeating a suggestion someone else made as if it was an original idea.) Who gets the privilege of taking credit?

Note your observations:

Active Listening

Make a note here when you notice people’s ideas being taken seriously. Whose ideas are being taken seriously? Who is getting active listening from others?

Notice when people are politely letting the clock run out on what someone is saying. Who gets the privilege of active listening?

Note your observations:

Who Gets a Voice?

Make a note here: Who gets to be heard? Who gets invited to be part of the conversations when decisions are being made that affect everyone?

Note your observations:

Getting “Extra Votes”

Make a note here when you notice who gets one vote in meetings and who gets two. In other words, who has influence in wrapping up the group decision? Whose opinion matters more?

Note your observations:

Correcting Others

Correcting others becomes a manifestation of privilege when one person overrides someone else who is speaking and corrects the person or presumes to make the person’s point for them. Who corrects others within meetings?

Note your observations: