Go Together: How the Concept of Ubuntu Will Change How You Live, Work, and Lead

by Shola Richards

Overview

“A slim volume that could become the new at-work reference.” —Booklist

Workplace positivity expert Shola Richards (Making Work Work) explores a radical new concept for rethinking our personal, professional, and social lives: togetherness.
 
The illusion that we are separate from each other, more different than similar, is eroding our ability to work, live, and lead effectively. What if we all focused on the powerful idea of ubuntu instead? This transcendent African philosophy embraces the belief that we are universally connected to each other—and Shola Richards suggests it could transform the way we treat others, making us kinder and more respectful to others, on and off the job. Without ubuntu, he argues, we cannot truly live a productive and satisfying life. Go Together is a thought-provoking read that could change our own behavior . . . and the world around us.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454929086
Publisher:	Sterling Ethos
Publication date:	09/04/2018
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Shola Richards is an award-winning Director of Training, the author of Making Work Work (Sterling), and a positivity blogger (The Positivity Solution) with a passionate worldwide following. His articles have been featured in the Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, and numerous other publications. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Part 1 Why We Must Go Together

Chapter 1 We Can Always Do Better: The Death of Civility 3

Chapter 2 One Word That Will Change Everything: The Invincibility of Ubuntu 17

Chapter 3 It Is Always Safer to Stand Up: The Uncomfortable Truth about Saving the World 31

Part 2 Live Together

Chapter 4 Fear or Love: The Only Decision That Matters 47

Chapter 5 When Your Beliefs Become Irrelevant: The Unpleasant Reality behind Good Intentions 61

Chapter 6 You Belong in Any Room You Walk Into: The Importance of Healing Yourself First 73

Part 3 Work Together

Chapter 7 Becoming the Hero: Why You Must Start Before You're Ready 89

Chapter 8 The Master Plan: Eight Keys to Unlocking Ubuntu at Work 103

Chapter 9 Your Power Is Not for Sale: Dealing with Enemies of Ubuntu 119

Part 4 Lead Together

Chapter 10 Kindness Is Dot Weakness: The Heart of the Ubuntu Leader 133

Chapter 11 The Power of Presence: The Ubuntu Leader's Secret Weapon 147

Chapter 12 When You Feel Like You Can't Continue: The Necessity of Resilience 161

Conclusion 173

Acknowledgments 177

Notes 181

Index 185

About the Author 190

Editorial Reviews

The concept of ubuntu is drawn from the African proverb, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ Though it may seem simple, its execution is tricky, as consultant Richards (Making Work Work, 2016) admits. Today his mission to bring kindness, positivity, and civility to the world—a mission he clearly identified in his first book—is made even harder by working environments increasingly filled with distrust and suspicion. Nonetheless, he perseveres, explaining his thesis through some powerful anecdotes, such as the story of Jordan, a woman deterred from suicide, thanks to Richards' speech and conversation. Much of his exposition centers on well-developed psychological tenets, such as ‘Self love comes first.’ Being uncomfortable is but one result of unlocking ubuntu at work. And focus on the things you can control—your actions, efforts, and attitudes. At the same time, Richards' eight elements of ‘go together,’ from addressing conflict quickly to remaining positive and solution-oriented, are important to learn and master. A slim volume that could become the new at-work reference.” —Booklist

From the Publisher