Kristen

Q: What drew you to a career at Gallup?

A: When I was getting my MBA, I attended a conference where a man spoke about the work he did at Gallup. His whole life was about bringing strengths-based development to other organizations and helping managers be better leaders, and I remember thinking, "oh my gosh, this is my post-MBA career! That's the job I want!" I was so drawn to the idea of helping leaders see strengths not as a fluffy conversation but as something that can result in tangible business outcomes. I immediately went home and looked at Gallup's website to learn more.

Q: Why do you enjoy working at Gallup?

A: It really has to do with people. We call ourselves a tribe, and it feels like family. I am genuinely appreciated for the person I am and the contributions I make. It's such a special place to be where everything about who you are is the very reason you are here, and doing more of "you" is exactly what everyone wants. It's an incredibly freeing, liberating and encouraging type of place to be. To know that you're managing and mentoring people with this lens and that you're bringing all of this to your clients is unbelievably fulfilling.

Q: What are your biggest motivators at work?

A: When I think about why I get up in the morning, I think of all the people who depend on me. I obviously have a personal relationship with my immediate team, but I also have some kind of personal relationship everywhere. I think of my partners, and I think of what we're trying to accomplish together. At Gallup, we have such a focus on talent, and we know each other's strengths, so I really understand my team. There's a big sense of accountability because you're working with people you intimately know and who depend on your contributions to succeed.

Q: What's it like being a female leader at Gallup?

A: We are so lucky to have a great role model in our COO. She's empowered a collection of women to lead by example and to instill leadership opportunity for other women. At the same time, it's not just a women's conversation here at Gallup. Our West Coast male partner also leaves for kids' soccer games or stays home because he has a sick child or comes in late because there was a parent-teacher conference -- and is open about it. It's a very supportive environment for women, with a lot of opportunity for growth. I've never felt like I've had to choose between my career and my family -- I can say yes to all of it. I can manage a regional team, and I can be a mom, all while delivering impeccable value to my clients.

Q: What's one of Gallup's benefits that means the most to you?

A: Our policies and, more importantly, our culture provide us with some flexibility to configure where and when we do our work. As long as we deliver high-quality outcomes and our customers are happy, we can take advantage of this amazing benefit without determent to our careers. As such, I'm able to create a schedule that makes sense for both my business and my life. You know it's working when your clients are happy, your family is doing great and you feel balanced.

Q: What advice would you share with someone considering joining Gallup?

A: To be successful at Gallup, you have to be OK with the gray space. Because people believe in you, and they know you have the talent to do it, you'll be put into new positions and given exciting opportunities to do new things, and you don't always get a playbook. They don't tell you the steps or prescribe how to do something, but because of that, you get tremendous freedom to accomplish the job you were given and to really define your career at Gallup.