We recently connected with Dr. Shakeer Abdullah and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Dr. Shakeer with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I get my work ethic from my parents and my life circumstances. My father is a retired Fire Captain and was one of the first Black firefighters in the city of Akron, Ohio. His pioneering spirit inspired me and helps guide me to this day. My mother worked hard and went back to school as an adult to help change her circumstances. My late step father was an entrepreneur and as kids we helped with the family business to earn money.
I got my first summer job at 14 and worked to earn money for school clothes and the things that I wanted for myself and I have been working ever since. I spent one summer picking strawberries and it motivated me to continue my education and help put my family in a position to be successful.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the Founder and Principal Consultant of Practical Diversity Associates. This is a full service Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Leadership Development firm. We work with a wide range of organizations to help them meet their needs in these areas. We also offer coaching services to rising leaders to help them achieve their professional and personal goals.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I was fortunate to have a strong group of friends and sponsors who helped me along the way. People who inspired me to do my best and to do more than I thought I was capable of. Sponsors opened the doors for me into organizations and job roles that I wasn’t quite ready for, but was able to grow into. My friend circle helped keep me focused and led by example. I also am a reader and I try to take the time to read and learn as much as I can about interesting topics. These things have helped make all the difference for me.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
One of my mentees, Dr. Karlos Marshall introduced me to a concept called ‘Ikigai’ it’s a Japanese word that roughly means ‘your reason for being.’ This concept resonated with me so much because it spoke to the idea of finding what you’re good at, finding what you love to do, and finding a way to get paid for that. I encourage folks to dig deep into their areas of strength and figure out how to get paid for that work that you know you’ll enjoy. People always talk about find a job that you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. The peace that comes with doing what you love can’t be overstated. Build your strengths and build a team that can support your weaknesses.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pracdiv.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_shakeer/
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/diversity-and-inclusion
- Twitter: @Shak06
Image Credits
Courtesy of Shakeer Abdullah
