The two men had asked for the code to use the restroom but the manager had informed them that the restroom could only be used by paying customers. They went back to their table and continued their conversation and did not buy anything. The staff approached them and asked them to leave. The men informed them that they were waiting for a friend to join them for a business meeting. The Store Manager then decided to call the police to have them removed.
Starbucks immediately let go of the store manager and apologized profusely to the men and the public. They then shut down 8000 stores for a day and gave training to their staff on ‘unconscious bias’. It is hard to fathom that discrimination is embedded so deep that it is still manifesting in today’s business. It is even harder to understand why the police officers, both of whom where white, handcuffed the individuals without comprehending the situation. The most disconcerting action was that they retained them at the station for nine hours and only let them go because Starbucks did not want to press charges.
Can people be deemed criminals because of ‘unconscious bias’? Should the person who carries the ‘unconscious bias’ now receive the treatment he wanted the two innocent men to bear? How often do we examine our ‘unconscious biases’ and bring light into this darkness?
It is the moral responsibility of leaders to understand, examine and change their unconscious biases as it can have a devastating impact on peoples lives. Such incidents happen due to ‘unconscious bias’, however, what comes out of it can be positive if open conversations are conducted and action is taken to eliminate it. In leadership training removing unconscious bias is given significant focus as conscious and inclusive decision-making are at the core of building successful teams and contributing to the growth of others.
