2022 CSDA Annual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase opening keynote speaker Shola Richards on
“The Courage to Go Together: Three Questions to Change How You Work, Live and Lead.” Don’t miss his opening keynote on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 –
register for conference today!
Over 16 years ago, Shola Richards worked in a toxic work environment. It was a challenging time, but it helped him understand the importance of workplace civility. “When I came out of this,” Shola said, “I realized that no one was effectively addressing issues of toxicity in the workplace, and if there were people who were addressing it, I certainly wasn’t aware of them. After complaining out loud about why people aren’t doing anything about ending toxic behaviors in the workplace, a friend of mine said, ‘Hey, you’re someone. Why don’t you do it?’ That question started me on this journey.” 65 million Americans are dealing with toxic work environments – that’s more than the population of 14 states. It’s not okay to deal with someone who is actively harassing, bullying, or marginalizing you. Shola shared that these are not victimless crimes; this suppressive work environment will hurt you and the work of your districts and organizations.
He created the Go Together movement, a transformational roadmap of mindset, behaviors, and tools that transform workplace cultures and drive results. This movement is based on the idea from an ancient African proverb: “If you want to fast, go alone. If you want to far, go together.” Shola reminds people to see each other through the lens of our shared humanity. Show up in the way you can be proud of if your kids, loved ones, and those you respect are watching you. “I often operate as if there is a hidden camera and footage is being taken that will be shown to my daughters when they’re older,” Shola shared. “It is a reminder of how I show up in moments of conflict, when I am treated a certain way, and during challenging times when I am exhausted. I want to make sure I behave in a way that is positive and meaningful. We must take some action now to heal the world so that our future generation will be proud of what we’re leaving them.”
“The illusion that we are separate from each other, more different than similar, is eroding our ability to work, live, and lead effectively,” says Shola.
He suggests focusing on the powerful idea of ubuntu instead. While there is not a one-to-one equivalent in the English language for ubuntu, Shola explained it is a transcendent African philosophy that means "I am because we are." It’s the height of human connectiveness, human compassion, and human kindness. “If I could add to the words in my book,
Go Together: How the Concept of Ubuntu Will Change How You Live, Work, and Lead, I’d add that … ‘And, our differences should still be okay,’” said Shola. “If someone is coming to the table and they are autistic, black, or trans, we should be able to look at people that are different and think ‘hey, there is a lot that binds us together and the things that are different are still cool.’ I feel we should start looking at the world through these lenses, instead of using our differences as excuses to separate. We can do powerful things in looking at this from a place of not only are we similar, but we have differences, and those differences are okay.”
An environment of honesty and respect allows people to do to their best work and to be engaged in their work.” ~ Shola Richards
There will be more coming at the CSDA Annual Conference that Shola will share on what makes a positive workplace, such as:
- Handling conflict
- Communication
- Accountability
- Attitude to bring to work
- Recognizing others
- Support of others
- Building trust
Shola will bring inspiration, but also practical, actionable tools districts can implement to improve the workplace. His goal is for individuals to walk away with something that will make their districts and communities a better place and ultimately a better California and a better world in the process.
California Special Districts asked Shola Richards to share one piece of advice to our readers. His response was: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Some folks are really struggling right now because they are in leadership roles, such as running a department, or being a parent, teacher, or coach. They feel like they are not supposed to struggle because of their role and the need to keep moving. I can’t say enough about the willingness to ask for help is probably what differentiates the successful people who are able to thrive versus the ones who are struggling or on a fast track to some sort of physical ailment. Some don’t want to appear weak, but being weak is pretending that you’re strong when you’re not.” He added, “being strong is asking for help. Own it, get strengthened, and it can also be an example for others to do the same.” Regarding mental health specifically, Shola advised “it’s okay to not be okay,” and that the first step to bring your best to work is to get help.
Shola had the opportunity to testify as a civility expert on Capitol Hill in front of the Select Committee at Congress last September. They brought in three individuals to share: a leadership expert, a teamwork expert, and a civility expert. They sought tangible advice about how to bring more civility to Congress and how to get people to communicate better. People at the highest levels are dealing with incivility, including our national government and elected officials. Naturally, we are dealing with this in our districts, our workplaces, and our communities. Shola Richards will help us explore what we can do to create a better world. He can’t wait to dive into this with us in August!
Shola Richards is an author, keynote speaker, and consultant whose focus is workplace civility, how we treat each other in the workplace. He also focuses on key areas outside of civility like resilience, how we show up after tough times, especially after two years of COVID. Shola is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how this affects how people show up for work. Whatever can help colleagues show up with kindness, dignity, and respect for their fellow colleagues is what he is about!