Chirag

Q: What do you do at Gallup?

A: At Gallup, I have two main roles -- one is a senior business solutions consultant, and the other is a regional director. As a consultant, my goal is to bring positive change to my clients, helping them create strengths-based workplaces and increase business outcomes. In this role, I'm shifting our clients' mindsets from being seen as a vendor to being seen as actual partners -- this is where I do my best work. I'm really hands-on, and I'm there to support and guide. We've built incredible trust with our clients in Australia, and I attribute that to our phenomenal team and its brilliant consultants.

I'm also a regional director responsible for building a brand-new team. I'm extremely passionate about people and even more passionate about watching my people grow. I'm a learning leader for a handful of people at Gallup, which means I get to coach new hires and help them customize their learning journeys. I'm very purpose-driven, and nothing makes me happier than if I can contribute even just a little bit to my team's growth.

Q: What type of organizations do you partner with?

A: I work with a variety of organizations, including government partners, technology startups and hospitality groups. The past three years have really disrupted business for some of those groups, yet it's also brought people together. I get to work with some of the most exciting and innovative companies in Australia and have worked with clients who have seen their business change and grow exponentially since the pandemic. I feel emotionally connected with the companies -- I'm upset when they're in pain and excited when we can help their business get back to booming.

Q: How is what you're doing helping Gallup to fulfill our mission?

A: Our mission of helping change the world a little to a lot every day really resonates with me. It's incredibly heartening for me to hear success stories from clients who have become coaches and who've introduced the CliftonStrengths® coaching philosophy to others. The power of CliftonStrengths® comes not just from knowing your results but from actually putting them to use. I get to help organizations implement the philosophy at all levels, from crafting attraction strategies and onboarding associates to coaching and developing leaders. More than twenty-seven million people have discovered their CliftonStrengths® -- that's more than the population of Australia. It's incredible to think about the impact we're creating in the world!

Q: What's been one of your career highlights at Gallup?

A: We partner with a local organization to help them build an exceptional workplace. Since they started working with us three years ago, they've seen their shares double, and the CEO has told us it's due to our work together. We've seen amazing change with them, and they see us as trusted advisers -- we even get invited to their internal celebrations where leaders from all their departments come together to talk about what's working and where they need to action plan. Creating that sort of strong relationship with the client took time -- they are a group of high achievers who have high expectations -- but even though it was challenging, it was incredibly exciting. There's never a dull day with this organization, and we learn so much from them, too.

Q: What's it like working for an international organization?

A: I feel extremely proud of Gallup's global brand. When I talk to clients or prospects, so many people already know Gallup from learning about our work in business school or from our bestselling books. Even though we're not the largest consulting organization, no one comes close to our impact and brand -- our scientific findings and research put us in a league of our own.

I also love that I get to work with internal partners across the world. Everyone is simply incredible and I value the relationships we've built together. From London to the United States, we employ talented people who are all in the right roles for what they do best. Everyone here is generous with their time and knowledge, so there are a lot of opportunities for personal growth.

Q: How do your CliftonStrengths® show up in life?

A: I lead with Relator, and that helps me build extremely strong relationships with my clients. We have such strong and loyal relationships that when my clients leave and join other businesses, I'm one of the first people they call. That means everything to me. My Positivity shows up everywhere -- it helps me keep a clear mind and it's incredibly authentic. Everyone in my life can see it. When I look at my top 10 CliftonStrengths®, I lead with relationship building and influencing themes, so I lean into my colleagues who are strong in complementary themes.

Q: What makes Gallup unique compared with other organizations?

A: A couple of things stand out when I think about the differences between us and other organizations. The first is the simplicity. We can help organizations create and manage frameworks that are easy for managers to use. We take complex ideas and break them down into easy-to-understand priorities anyone can act on.

Another thing that's different is that we truly practice what we preach. Even before the pandemic, Gallup had flexible work arrangements. We show faith in our people -- we don't have people monitoring other people. Because we are committed to getting the right people in the right roles and we focus on outcomes instead of hours, we're empowered to do our best work. We help our clients build human capital and we do that at Gallup, too.

Q: What are some of your favorite things about your team?

A: The diversity! My team has a variety of different opinions and no one is afraid to speak up, which is exactly what we want to foster great ideas. We celebrate each other's successes and we truly want each other to excel.

The best piece of advice I got was from a mentor at Gallup. He told me when I first joined, "It's really important to have goals -- you should know what you want to achieve and when you want to do it -- but it's even more important to have fun along the way." I think about that all the time and I love it. It's how I live my life and a motto my team embraces, too.

Q: What do you do when you're not at Gallup?

A: I love spending time with my family and friends -- I'm a very social person. If I don't have plans already, I'll find a way to host a party or do something fun. Australia is a beautiful country, so I'm outside a lot, whether it's playing cricket or going to the park with my wife and three-year-old son. If I do have a quieter day, you can find me watching MMA or Formula One.