Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People Dolly Chugh: Why “Good People” Struggle with Bias and What to Do About It
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Mar 23, 2026 
Dolly Chugh, social psychologist and NYU professor who studies bias and identity, explains why being “good” can block progress. She breaks down unconscious bias, the dangers of simplified historical fables, and why pronouncing names and fuller history matter. Short, practical tools appear for staying curious, embracing contradictions, and growing without defensiveness.
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MBA Reunion Mistaken Identity Reveals Implicit Associations
- Dolly Chugh describes mistakenly assuming an older Black woman at her MBA reunion was staff, then feeling embarrassed to learn she was an alum like Dolly.
- She uses this to illustrate unconscious associations linking demographics to roles, not malice.
Hedge Trimming Story Shows Base Rate Tension
- Guy Kawasaki tells of a white woman assuming he was a gardener while he trimmed hedges, then his father advising him to accept base-rate expectations calmly.
- The exchange highlights tension between being offended and acknowledging statistical realities in biased assumptions.
Balance Heat And Light For Social Change
- Social change needs both 'light' (education, listening) and 'heat' (protests, disruption); light changes minds while heat changes systems.
- Dolly references social movement research and says movements with both elements make the most progress.
