Can you lead with both heart and authority? In this episode of The Kindness Extremist, Shola Richards breaks down the myth that kindness is weakness in leadership — and reveals how compassion can become your greatest leadership superpower. 

 

Drawing from personal stories, research, and decades of leadership insight, Shola shares 3 transformative strategies to lead with authenticity, build trust, and drive results — all without compromising your strength. Whether you're leading a team of two or 2,000, managing your household, or creating positive change in your community, this episode will shift how you see kindness's role in leadership.

 

What You’ll Learn:

• Why being liked can make you a better leader
• How to build trust without losing authority
• A game-changing mindset shift for giving feedback kindly
• Real stories that show kindness under pressure

 

Don’t Miss This If You Want To:

 ✔️ Build deeper trust with your team

 ✔️ Set firm boundaries without losing compassion

 ✔️ Communicate with clarity, care, and courage

 

Timestamps:

 00:00 Intro — Kindness vs. Weakness

 01:45 Myth: “Nice leaders finish last”

 03:20 Strategy 1: Communicate with Care

 10:15 Strategy 2: Keep It Real (Vulnerability = Strength)

 16:00 Strategy 3: Stand Up for What’s Right

 23:30 Final Thoughts + Challenge for the Week

🔗 Connect with Shola:
Instagram – @sholarichards
Website – sholarichards.com
For speaking requests or collaborations: [email protected]

This podcast is produced by MicMoguls.