Ep. 45 - How Courageous Kindness Can Change the Way We Work w/ Kindness Expert Shola Richards
What if kindness wasn't a personality trait - but a leadership skill? What if it wasn't a sign of weakness, but one of the greatest acts of courage we could practice?
In this episode of the CivilTalk Podcast, we sit down with Shola Richards - CEO and Founder of Go Together Global, bestselling author, workplace civility expert, and creator of the Strong Enough to Be Kind™ movement - for a thoughtful conversation about courage, workplace culture, leadership, and the power of human connection.
Drawing from his own personal journey and the lessons behind his books Making Work Work, Go Together, and Civil Unity, Shola shares why true kindness requires far more than simply being nice. It asks us to set boundaries, speak difficult truths with compassion, challenge harmful behavior, and have the courage to go first - even when it's uncomfortable.
Together, we explore what creates healthy workplace cultures, why toxic environments are often built through small, tolerated behaviors, and how everyday conversations shape trust, psychological safety, and organizational culture. We also discuss Ubuntu, the philosophy behind Go Together, why civility does not require agreement, and what it means to lead with both strength and empathy in an increasingly divided world.
Whether you're a leader, manager, entrepreneur, HR professional, educator, or simply someone who wants to communicate more intentionally, this conversation offers practical insights for building stronger relationships, healthier teams, and cultures worth fighting for.
In this episode we discuss:
Why kindness is one of the greatest acts of courage
The hidden cost of workplace incivility
Lessons from Making Work Work, Go Together, and Civil Unity
Psychological safety and courageous leadership
Ubuntu and building cultures of belonging
How to navigate disagreement without sacrificing respect
The future of workplace conversations and organizational culture
What it truly means to be Strong Enough to Be Kind™
Learn More About Shola Richards:
Website: www.sholarichards.com
Books: https://sholarichards.com/books/
Go Together Global: https://gotogetheracademy.sholarichards.com/
The Kindness Extremist Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kindness-extremist-with-shola-richards/id1808367842
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About CivilTalk:
CivilTalk is more than a podcast. It’s a platform dedicated to helping people and organizations strengthen how they communicate through conversational intelligence, emotional intelligence, and more intentional dialogue. CivilTalk is the home to Clarion CI — our conversational intelligence platform designed to help individuals understand not just what is said in meetings, but how people communicate by surfacing insights around listening, alignment, tone, and interaction patterns through private post-meeting reports.
Learn more at the link below, explore our latest episodes at Latest Episodes, and discover how better conversations create better outcomes.
Learn more: www.civiltalk.com