Ignorance Quote by Harvard Business Review
““This thought experiment is a version of philosopher John Rawls’s concept of the “veil of ignorance,” which posits that only a person ignorant of his own identity is capable of a truly ethical decision. Few of us can assume the veil completely, which is precisely why hidden biases, even when identified, are so difficult to correct. Still, applying the veil of ignorance to your next important managerial decision may offer some insight into how strongly implicit biases influence you.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Harvard Business Review, “The Veil of Ignorance in Decision Making”, 2023
The quote explains that adopting a perspective free from personal identity—like Rawls’s veil of ignorance—helps reveal hidden biases in managerial choices, though fully achieving this impartiality is hard.
In simple terms: Seeing decisions without personal bias can expose hidden influences.
Key Takeaway
Use a neutral viewpoint to check bias.
Themes
ethics
leadership
bias
decisionmaking
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- hiring decisions
- budget allocations
- team promotions
- policy formulation
Key Concepts
Rawlsian theory
implicit bias
managerial insight
Questions to Reflect On
- How might your personal identity affect this decision?
- What steps can you take to approximate the veil?
A Different Perspective
Achieving complete impartiality is unrealistic; biases may persist despite effort.
![“We [in Think Broader.] went through and looked at coverage in different industries and were able to point out to newsrooms that they had these hidden biases. We'd do a review and provide a report card, and provide our suggestion on how to avoid bias.” quote by Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b48/paula-broadwell-12073_able_we-in-think-broader-went-through-and-loo_1324482.jpg)
