When we assess a person, it is very easy to project our own value system onto them. What looks to us like suspicious, inconsistent, or even problematic behavior can, in another context, be perfectly normal.
For example, there are cultures in which avoiding eye contact is a sign of respect. For others, it immediately raises questions. There are places where direct communication is seen as positive, while elsewhere it is perceived as rude.
And this is where biases come into play.
When we are not aware of them, we are not really analyzing the person. We are analyzing the gap between them and us.
In business profiling, this is especially critical. Decisions are made about people: candidates, partners, suppliers. An error in interpretation can lead to missing out on an excellent person, or worse, to failing to identify a real risk.
So what do we learn from this?
First of all, professional humility. Understanding that not everything that seems right to us truly is.
Second, context. Always asking: where does this person come from? Does the behavior fit with the culture they come from?
And finally, the right combination of analytical tools and human understanding. Without this, there is no real objectivity.
Anyone who works with people must understand cultures. Otherwise, they are simply guessing.