Shola Richards

Shola Richards’ inspiring keynote, Civil Unity (based on his book of the same name), provides the highly-practical strategies to reverse the rising trend of incivility and unproductive discourse in our workplaces, our homes and every place in between. In this keynote, Shola will share how to expertly navigate the most challenging and polarizing discussions in existence, how to disagree without disrespect and find common ground (even when it’s not clear that any exists), how to protect (and even enhance) our mental wellness in this current reality, and most of all, how to build a foundation of civility in our workplaces, families and communities that will sustain over time.

This keynote is ideal for individual contributors, leaders, and teams who are:
• Committed to building a thriving work culture of unwavering civility and respect, where healthy debate is encouraged, and team members embrace the skill of finding common ground and disagreeing without disrespect.
• Searching for proven strategies to skillfully navigate divisive and polarizing issues when they arise in their professional lives at work, or in their personal lives at home.
• Feeling exhausted by this current reality and are looking for practical techniques to lower their anxiety, build their resilience, and enhance their overall mental wellness.

The audience will leave with:
• The incontrovertible data to support why this work is so urgent to begin now, and the inspiration to stay fully committed to the critically-important (and challenging) efforts of improving the civility in our discourse.
• The phrases, actions, and strategies to increase the likelihood of civil, engaged, and productive culture, at work, at home and in their communities.
• An 80+ page fillable PDF companion guide to Shola’s Civil Unity book that will keep the attendees accountable to the daily work required to create a more civil world.

Shola Richards’ mantra is a simple, but powerful, one: we are defined by how we treat each other. In his inspiring flagship keynote, The Courage to Go Together™, Shola will reinforce that key point by introducing the transformative concept of Ubuntu (pronounced, "oo-BOON-too") which translates to "I am, because we are." The Ubuntu philosophy, along with three powerful questions, will provide the audience with actionable strategies to transform their work culture, amplify team civility, and inspire themselves and others to consistently bring their best to their work.

This keynote is ideal for individual contributors, leaders, and teams who are:
• Searching for proven strategies to strengthen team cohesion, civility and togetherness in order to maintain a healthy workplace culture and optimal business results.
• Struggling to keep themselves engaged, positive and solution-oriented when managing the nonstop challenges and complexities of life (both inside and outside of the workplace).
•Feeling as if they do not have the influence, professional title, or education to make meaningful positive change on their work team, or in their organization.

The audience will leave with:
•The three key questions that they need to ask themselves to increase the likelihood of civil, engaged, and productive work culture.
•The answers to the most common objections to beginning the important—and challenging—work of positively transforming their work culture.
• The self-awareness to become mindful of how their words, actions, and behaviors affect others.

Creating and sustaining a culture of equity, diversity and belonging can be challenging and exhausting work. Not only does it require the willingness to actively work against inequities, bias and discrimination in the workplace, but equally as important, it requires the courage to actively take part in uncomfortable (but, necessary) discussions. The highly-engaging Courageous Civility™ keynote provides the audience with the key tools, strategies, and information necessary to engage in this important work, while also ensuring that the commitment to this work remains long after the keynote ends.

This keynote is ideal for individual contributors, leaders, and teams who are:
• Interested in creating a culture of equity, diversity and belonging, but don’t know where to begin.
• Concerned about the current climate of divisiveness in America, and its impact on marginalized communities’ mental health, safety and overall well-being.
• Unaware of how to effectively engage in difficult conversations with colleagues and others about bias and inequities.

The audience will leave with:
• Strategies to recognize bias, prejudice, and/or microaggressions in the workplace, and how to address it immediately and strategically.
• Powerful data that shows that diverse teams are better at making decisions, more attractive to potential clients, consistently outperform competitors (and more!)
• The education and the inspiration to stay committed to the ongoing work of equity, diversity and belonging.

This is a uniquely difficult time for leaders and individual contributors in workplaces all over America. We are still managing the aftereffects of battling a deadly pandemic for over three years (and counting), there are deep divisions that have been exposed within our country, parents are overwhelmed as they balance their careers with raising their kids in this exhausting new reality, employees are feeling increased anxiety and mental health challenges, and according to recent studies, Americans are the unhappiest they have been in the past 50 years. Needless to say, navigating all of the aforementioned challenges can have a significant impact on one’s overall well-being, mental health and resilience. The Unstoppable Resilience™ keynote provides the audience with the highly-practical strategies to build unshakable strength within themselves and within their teams.

This keynote is ideal for individual contributors, leaders, and teams who are:
• Feeling overwhelmed with the multiple competing priorities (both at work and at home) that are draining them mentally and emotionally.
• Experiencing heightened stress levels as they manage the seemingly-nonstop onslaught of incoming unpleasant news happening in the world around them, ongoing anxieties and mental health challenges, and the expectation of bringing their best selves to their work, despite their internal or external stressors.
• Unsure of how to support their colleagues who may be struggling.

The audience will leave with:
• The keys to creating a resilient mindset, regardless of the circumstances.
• The strategy to apply the aforementioned keys to any challenge that the attendees are currently facing (professionally, personally, or otherwise).
• Personalized commitments that the attendees will use to build their resilience, and a strategy to stay accountable to their new commitments.