Shola Richards

Shola Richards's Speech Descriptions

The Courage to Go Together: Three Questions to Change How You Work, Live, and Lead

In his highly-inspiring flagship keynote, Shola will introduce 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 and togetherness (despite these deeply divisive and polarized times) in order to maintain a healthy workplace culture and optimal business results.
-Struggling to keep themselves engaged, energized, and positive 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 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.

Unstoppable Resilience: The Keys to Staying Strong During Any Challenge

This is a uniquely difficult time for leaders and staff in workplaces all over America. We have been dealing with the effects of battling a deadly pandemic for well over a year (and still going), there are deep divisions that have been exposed within our country, parents are being asked to balance working and homeschooling their kids simultaneously, employees are feeling increased anxiety as they return to on-site work, 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 resilience and mental health. 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, the anxieties of returning back to on-site work, and the challenges of adjusting to life in the “new normal.”
-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).
-Three personalized commitments that the attendees will use to build their resilience, and a strategy to stay accountable to their new commitments.

Courageous Civility: Creating a Culture of Equity Diversity and Belonging

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:

-Ready to create a culture of equity, diversity and belonging, but don’t know where to begin.
-Concerned about the current civil unrest, and its impact on BIPOC’s (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) mental health, safety and overall well-being.
-Unaware of how to effectively engage in difficult conversations with colleagues and others about race, bias and inequities.

The audience will leave with:

-The discovery of the history of systemic racism and its impact on the modern-day workplace.
-Strategies to recognize bias, prejudice, and/or microaggressions in the workplace, and how to address it immediately.
-The education and the inspiration to stay committed to the ongoing work of equity, diversity and belonging.