Shola Richards

Shola Richards is the author of Making Work Work and a workplace civility expert whose personal story of surviving a moment of profound crisis on Interstate 405 transformed him into one of the most passionate advocates for dignity and respect in the workplace. He speaks on eliminating workplace bullying, building psychologically safe cultures, and the business case for treating people with dignity. Shola’s message has reached over 65 million people affected by workplace incivility, and his raw, authentic delivery creates lasting change.

A Story That Changed Everything
Exhausted from workplace toxicity and an unrecognizable version of himself, Shola intentionally swerved off an interstate in an attempt to end his life. In that half-second, his reflexes pulled the wheel back, and everything changed. That near-tragedy ignited a burning mission to reverse the trend of workplace incivility that destroys careers, health, and lives every day.

The Civility Imperative
Shola’s frameworks demonstrate that respectful cultures are not just morally right but measurably more productive and profitable. His work shows organizations exactly how incivility erodes performance and what specific practices build environments where people thrive. His keynotes deliver a deeply personal, research-backed case for workplace civility, psychological safety, and building the kind of cultures where dignity drives both human wellbeing and peak performance.

Civil Unity The Radical Path To Transform Our Discourse, Our Lives And Our World

Shola Richards’ inspiring new keynote, Civil Unity (based on his new 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.

The Courage To Go Together: Three Questions To Change How You Work, Live And Lead

In his 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 Crisis

This is a uniquely difficult time for leaders and staff in workplaces all over America. A deadly pandemic is barreling through the world, there are deep divisions that have been exposed within our country, parents are being asked to balance working and homeschooling their kids simultaneously, 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.
• 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.

Becoming Anti-Racist: Creating A Culture Of Diversity, Equity And Belonging

It is no longer good enough to not be a racist, whether it’s inside or outside of the workplace. In order to create a culture of diversity, equity, and belonging it will require the willingness to actively work against racism and bias in all of its forms. The highly-engaging Becoming Anti-Racist™ 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 an anti-racist workplace, 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, productivity and overall well-being.
• Unaware of how to effectively engage in difficult conversations with colleagues and others about race and inequity.

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 anti-racism and anti-bias.