Management : 6 tips to limit beetle syndrome
Beetle syndrome is an unconscious cognitive bias. It means that a company's decision-makers will tend, unintentionally, to favor employees who look like them. It's a "natural" tendency, because it's reassuring. Trusting employees who function in the same way, who share the same values, the same dreams, who have the same way of communicating... However, sometimes, decision-makers base their choice on these criteria alone, without taking into account the real skills of each individual. Worse still, by favoring people who resemble them, management bodies tend to neglect certain highly qualified employees. This also affects group dynamics, the team's potential to innovate, come up with new ideas, debate, challenge each other and even maintain motivation over the long term...
Here are 7 tips for managers to limit the beetle effect in their teams.
1. Observe the team:
First of all, as is often the case, take the time to observe your team for a few days or weeks.
Cognitive biases are a regular occurrence in business (and in everyday life). Once you're aware of the existence of one, the ideal thing to do is to see whether or not it's present in your organization. So be alert and ask yourself the right questions.
2. Recruit on the basis of a diversity charter
Companies have a real role to play when it comes to diversity. They have a duty to set an example and promote equal opportunities. That's why it's a good idea to sign a diversity charter.
The aim of this charter is to propose effective actions to turn "individual differences into a lever for cohesion and well-being", which by extension influences organizational performance.
3. Stimulate team creativity
It's in your interest to stimulate creativity within your team. This creativity is necessary to generate innovative ideas, to give everyone the opportunity to express their emotions, to put forward their point of view, to dare to deliver a message that may be different.
4. Invite debate and challenge
Being surrounded by people who look alike is reassuring. So reassuring, in fact, that the very idea of stepping outside the box can be frightening: you run the risk of no longer being part of a group, and of losing the sense of belonging that is so important in a company.
So you need to encourage your team to debate and challenge themselves on a daily basis. For them first of all, as this will always be much more motivating and stimulating.
5. Make decisions together
There's strength in numbers, especially in business! To get rid of homophily, get into the habit of making decisions together. This tip is particularly useful when it comes to recruitment. When you receive CVs, share them with someone you trust, another manager, a colleague, to get their point of view.
Be two people at job interviews: each with his or her own vision, questions, reactions and opinion of the candidate.
6. Complement rather than resemble
Designing a team where everyone looks the same may, at first sight, promote understanding. But it's more a question of finding profiles that complement rather than resemble each other.
So, when you recruit or propose a change or promotion, you take the whole team into account. Each recruitment must be an opportunity to lead your team towards success, to strengthen its potential, skills and abilities.
Each profile must complement, contribute to and boost each other, to create real cohesion, strengthen the bonds between each employee, and enable everyone to rely on each other.
Source : https://www.hays.fr/blog-hays-france-luxembourg/qu-est-ce-que-le-syndrome-du-scarabee-et-comment-s-en-detacher
https://www.welcometothejungle.com/fr/articles/promotion-syndrome-scarabee
Not yet a member of FIT in NETWORK®?
THE European network of available skills
👉 Create or update your profile on FIT in NETWORK® https://bit.ly/2ABuiFu
👉 Follow our professional page on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2XRcAWs
👉 Become a Premium Expert and benefit from priority access to all our opportunities as well as many other services https://bit.ly/2XYvOt0
Find out why empathy has become an important skill in the professional world.
👉 https://www.fitin-network.com/fr/actualites/lempathie-la-competence-de-leadership-la-plus-importante/
