Cognitive Bias: The Choices We Don’t Know We’re Making with Jason Craige Harris

 
Every day in schools, educators and leaders make hundreds of decisions—who receives the benefit of the doubt, whose behavior is interpreted as intentional or accidental, whose voice is heard, whose needs are prioritized, and who feels seen, valued, and included. Most of us aspire to create communities rooted in fairness, belonging, dignity, and care. Yet even the most well-intentioned among us are vulnerable to the
same cognitive shortcuts and blind spots that shape human judgment. We confuse students who share a racial identity, extend grace unevenly, make assumptions based on limited information, and unknowingly allow bias to influence our choices. These moments are rarely the result of bad intentions. They are the result of being human.

In this highly interactive and practical workshop, participants will explore the science behind
common cognitive biases—including confirmation bias, consensus bias, affinity bias, and the
fundamental attribution error—and learn concrete strategies for interrupting them.
                                                                                                              

Speaker Bio
Jason Craige Harris is a thought leader, strategist, and storyteller who helps leaders and some of the sharpest minds in the country solve hard problems. When organizations and communities are stuck, polarized, or quietly unraveling, Jason is often the person called in to help steady the room, repair what is broken, and help people find their way back to one another. Trained in ethics, psychology, and systems thinking, he blends science with real life—using humor, deep listening, and storytelling to help people navigate conflict, strengthen relationships, and make better decisions under pressure.

A researcher, mediator, restorative practitioner, and executive advisor, Jason studies how stress, power, and fear shape human behavior—and how dignity, curiosity, courage, and compassion can help us respond differently. A nationally recognized speaker with Pollyanna, Jason brings big ideas down to earth, helping people see that leadership is not about being the loudest or the smartest—it is about being deeply human, especially when it is hardest.