Q&A with Rob Richards, VP at CommonAction Consulting
Rob, tell us a bit about CommonAction Consulting.
CommonAction Consulting is the home-base for all of my work. It’s my foundation and infrastructure. Those of us who use the mantle do a variety of kinds of work in different fields. It’s a great incubator and facilitates my ability to live my passions.
What gave you the idea for your business and how did it start?
I worked in the non-profit world for over a decade and reached a point where I outgrew it. I knew I didn’t want to go down that conventional path and become an Executive Director. My passions lie in system change at all levels, so I needed to be a free agent, with the flexibility to choose who I worked for, what I work on, and when I can speak truth to power.
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
The people I meet, lives I get touch, and when we win, whether it’s big or small.
What are your keys to making yourself productive?
Coffee! Also feeling like I’m moving the needle, and like I’m learning and growing. I often feel like I’m floundering if I start feeling stuck or like I’ve hit a wall.
Tell us one long-term goal in your career.
The biggest goal is to keep feeling happy and successful. That’s not about money at all. It’s about being fulfilled and accepting that the definition of that is fluid, so I need to check in with myself regularly and redefine it.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned through the course of your career?
Don’t listen to people who tell you to be ambitious. Ambition is too often a manifestation of ego, and ego is the biggest enemy to real personal success. One of the most publicly successful periods of my career was also one of the worst periods of personal failure for me. My work was beloved by politicians, the business community, and featured in the local paper at least monthly… but when I came out of it I learned that I’d became a product of my ego, arrogant and guileful. Since then I’ve learned that to be humble and centered is the path to real success. Arrogance is a security blanket that insecure people use to hide their true self.
What advice would you give to others aspiring to succeed in your field?
Ask for help. Accept it. Have a network of mentors. Nobody can do it alone. There is no such thing as a self-made person. Collect experts in every facet of your work and engage them. Become a leader by letting go of any need for credit for the work. If you keep your eye on accomplishing your goals and you engage and inspire the people around you, that’s where personal fulfillment is.
What are your favorite things to do outside of work?
Snuggle with my cat, or sit at a coffee shop and chat with friends. I like to recharge by relaxing and taking time to think.
Name a few influential books you’ve read and/or websites you keep up with that you’d recommend to readers.
Ta-Nehesi Coates, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou – any of their works. Mostly I read news and opinion and essays. I like to stay current on what’s happening in the world and apply what I glean to the writing I do on my site (www.writerobwrite.com). I follow PBS NewsHour, The Daily Show, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and a variety of other news sources.
Learn more about Rob Richards and CommonAction Consulting here.
