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Geoff Smart, Ph.D.

About

Geoff Smart, Ph.D., is the chairman and founder of ghSMART, a global leadership advisory, education, and analytics firm founded in 1995 that helps Fortune 500 CEOs and boards, entrepreneurs, and heads of state achieve their goals through hiring, developing, and leading talented teams. In 2023, Vault named ghSMART the number-one consulting firm in its industry in the categories of overall colleague satisfaction, compensation, selectivity, challenge, client interaction, work-life balance, (few) hours in an office, and overall diversity. Smart is the author of Leadocracy: Hiring More Great Leaders (Like You) Into Government, which won the Axiom Book Award for Best Business Book of the Year. With ghSMART, he has also authored Who: The A Method for Hiring (Smart & Street); Power Score: Your Formula for Leadership Success (Smart, Street, and Foster); and The CEO Next Door (Botelho & Powell).

Smart earned a B.A. in Economics with honors from Northwestern University, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology from Claremont Graduate University, where he was a student of management thought leader Peter F. Drucker. He founded a not-for-profit leadership development organization which became the Colorado Governors Fellowship Program, and currently serves on the Board of Trustees of CiviCo.

Books by Geoff Smart, Ph.D.
Recent Posts
How to Get the CEO to Talk With You
A colleague recently asked me, “How can I get the CEO to talk with me?” This question remains at the top of executives' minds across industries and roles.
3 Questions Every Leader Should Ask Monday Morning

What does the data say about building a high-functioning team? It comes down to leaders who focus on getting three things right: their team's priorities, people, and relationships.

What does the data say about building a high-functioning team? It comes down to leaders who focus on getting three things right: their team's priorities, people, and relationships.

Wondering ‘How to Motivate Employees’ Is a Management Fail

Why is it a sign of management failure to wonder how to motivate employees? Here are three better approaches based on one simple principle.

Why is it a sign of management failure to wonder how to motivate employees? Here are three better approaches based on one simple principle.

Psychology Is the Key to Building a Winning Culture

By harnessing lessons from psychology, leaders can build successful organizations and elevate the quality of human life.

By harnessing lessons from psychology, leaders can build successful organizations and elevate the quality of human life.

Business Concepts Consulting Psychologists Need to Know

Do you want to do truly high-impact work as a consulting psychologist? You need to understand enough business know-how to be dangerous.

Do you want to do truly high-impact work as a consulting psychologist? You need to understand enough business know-how to be dangerous.

3 Questions to Find Your Ideal Career Path

Most people struggle to manage their careers. Here's how to avoid the most common pitfalls.

Most people struggle to manage their careers. Here's how to avoid the most common pitfalls.