I’ve been thinking a lot about cognitive bias and what it means in the boardroom.
We all have bias.
Our brains are constantly filtering information, drawing on past experiences, preferences, assumptions and patterns to help us make sense of what is in front of us.
Most of the time, that is useful.
But in a boardroom, it can also shape the questions we ask, the risks we notice, the people we trust, the ideas we dismiss and the decisions we make.
So perhaps one of the most useful things a director can do is stop and ask:
What are my biases here?
What experiences or assumptions might be influencing my thinking?
What might my colleagues be bringing to this discussion?
Whose perspective is missing?
What evidence would change my mind?
And am I giving this idea a fair hearing, or have I already decided how I feel about it?
Good governance is not about pretending we can remove bias altogether.
It is about being curious enough to notice it, challenge it and create space for different perspectives.
That is also one of the reasons diversity around a board table matters.
Different experiences, backgrounds, expertise and ways of thinking can help a board see what one person alone might miss.
My view is simple:
“We don’t need to be bias free. We need to be curious enough to ask what might be influencing our thinking.”
That pause, particularly before a big decision, can be incredibly powerful.