Go Together

September 1, 2018
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.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)