Abdul-Haqq: We must be intentional about eliminating biases

Masood Abdul-Haqq

I am a Black American Muslim man.

These four identities each carry their own privileges, responsibilities, and stigmas. Together, for better or for worse, they make people like me stand out no matter where we go in the world. In America, being American with Black skin, Black with a non-Christian faith, or Muslim with an American dialect have plenty in common. They all have a tendency to make one exotic enough for the majority to be intrigued by, but strange enough to be kept at arm’s length, if not outright hated.

Yet, as a business owner, I still catch myself stereotyping job candidates based on their names and identities if I’m not intentional. I lean more conservative in the way I interpret the tenets of my faith, which leads to me being more conservative in the way I lead and teach my family and community. But I have learned to check myself when it comes to how I apply my own beliefs in the business place.

I would ask myself: Why does this man want to be a medical assistant and work with all women? Will this new mother be able to get to work on time every day? What kind of lifestyle does this person with these tattoos and piercings lead?

Prejudice and stereotyping are part of the built-in fight or flight mechanisms that humans have developed over thousands of years. But discrimination does not have to be. It comes down to our intent.

Thousands of years ago, our ancestors had to make quick decisions about a different looking human because it could be a matter of life or death. So our brains developed the ability to quickly label others as friendly or unfriendly based on physical characteristics and behaviors. Even today, as we often see in the news, following a gut feeling to lock a door or call the police could save dozens of lives.

However, as leaders, we must be intentional about honing these instincts and not simply allowing our prejudicial shortcomings to inform our decisions in the places where we hold authority. It is imperative that we hone these instincts by making a commitment to getting out of our respective bubbles and learning more about people who are nothing like we are. To do so, we must consume diverse media and attend functions where we might be the only one from our tribe in attendance. For me, that could be visiting the State Capitol and speaking to elected officials. For you, that may be taking your family to a Juneteenth celebration.

In his book entitled Principles, Bridgewater and Associates founder Ray Dalio describes how he built the world’s most successful hedgefund. Some of the more unconventional principles in the book, such as “look for people who sparkle” and “be willing to shoot the people you love,” are another way of saying look for the qualities that make your business run more efficiently in whatever form they come. Be radically transparent about your practices. Are you only hiring or promoting candidates who look like someone you’d like to get a beer with?

Today, I can say with pride that some of my best employees are younger, more pierced and more tattooed than I would have ever imagined when I started my business. Based on our satisfaction ratings, we’re much better for it because guess what? Our customer base is younger, more pierced and more tattooed.

Go figure.

Masood Abdul-Haqq is co-owner and COO of Peace of Mind Pediatrics (POMP), a primary healthcare clinic group for families with children.