Freedom and Flexibility at ghSMART - Part 2

Embracing Freedom and Flexibility: How Much and From Where

Welcome to Part 2 of our series on Freedom and Flexibility at ghSMART. In Part 1, we explored how our consultants embrace autonomy in the "what" (the type of work they do) and the "who" (the clients they serve and colleagues they collaborate with). Now, we turn to two other crucial aspects of our Freedom and Flexibility culture: the freedom to choose both the "how much" (the volume or quantity of work you take on) and the "where" (the location from which you work). These elements – which further amplify the satisfaction, agency, and motivation of all of our team members - ensure our consultants can thrive both professionally and personally.

The Freedom to Choose Your Volume of Work

At ghSMART, we believe that all our colleagues and consultants should always be operating as their best selves. This means ensuring that their work complements their overall life equation, enhancing their overall satisfaction and ability to advise and perform at their peak. Every consultant has the autonomy to choose how much they want to work. While we ask all consultants to meet a minimum level of client service annually, beyond that threshold, the choice is theirs to shape. Our commission-based model reinforces this autonomy: compensation directly correlates with workload, creating a meaningful range of opportunities. To bring this to life, Principals - our most common role - can typically see a 3-4x difference in compensation based on their chosen activity level. Throughout our firm’s history, this model has proven to be highly empowering for our team.

Key Benefits of This Model

Accelerated Learning and Impact:

When consultants have the freedom to choose their workload, they can pursue learning goals and enhance client impact at the pace they desire. For instance, if a consultant aims to introduce new coaching programs at each of their existing clients, or desire to learn new client service models to deliver high-potential-talent programs, they can ramp up their workload accordingly to make space for these. Alternatively, perhaps a consultant is interested in expanding their expertise in talent-related topics that fuel digital transformation or AI-capability-building - major areas of need globally - they can explore and pursue work on those topics.  This flexibility enables them to accelerate their learning and sources of expertise while simultaneously increasing the value they provide to clients.

Adaptability to Life Events:

Life is dynamic, and our consultants appreciate the ability to adapt their workloads in response to personal circumstances. Some colleagues plan to ramp up their work in advance of planned time off, or when their partner takes a sabbatical, allowing them to earn more during that period. Conversely, when unexpected events arise—such as a relative falling ill—consultants can adapt their workload to allow sufficient focus on family needs. As another example, a colleague may decide to set a financial goal for herself that allows her to help her aging parents with a significant retirement trip they have planned - she can choose to take on more projects in a given month to allow her to earn more than she had previously planned! This ability fosters a sense of control and well-being and allows for moments of refreshment and renewal for our  colleagues.

Long-Term Career Planning

Our model also supports long-term career and life planning. Consultants can take a broader view of how their work aligns with life’s evolving stages. For instance, one consultant may decide to triple their average revenue for a couple of years while focusing on career advancement but knows they will need to be present for aging parents or growing children later. This foresight allows them to plan for periods of increased intensity followed by times of less intense workload. While the math of planning is never exact nor perfect, ultimately our model allows consultants to take control of their careers while balancing personal needs and aspirations. Don't get us wrong, we always prioritize our clients and colleagues by consistently showing up for what matters most; however, we also believe in being our best selves—which includes having agency over what our lives look like.

The Freedom to Choose Your Work Location

At ghSMART, we recognize that where you work is often as crucial as how much you work. Our commitment to freedom and flexibility extends beyond workload; it encompasses the locations from which our consultants operate. This freedom has always been part of our culture- long before remote work became the norm.  In the past year alone,  we've seen inspiring moves within our team that showcase this flexibility. Consultants have relocated from California to the Northeast U.S., transitioned from urban centers to nearby suburbs, and even ventured into rural areas in search of environments that suit their lifestyles. Notably, Louis Chambers, a ghSMART Partner, made a significant move from Europe to Australia not only to be closer to family but also to pursue his aspiration of establishing our ghSMART office there. In other examples, consultants choose to work for shorter periods of time – days, weeks, or months – outside of their home location, whether to be with family, friends, or simply because they wished to try out a new city they were considering for the long term! This kind of flexibility is not just a perk; it’s an integral part of how we operate.

Bringing Freedom and Flexibility to Life

At ghSMART, we prioritize being exceptional teammates and trusted advisors. We care less about where our consultants work from or the specific hours they log; what matters most is that they show up as their best selves for clients and colleagues alike.

The following stories are illustrative examples of how some consultants have utilized the principles of freedom and flexibility in their unique contexts. While these scenarios reflect what is possible within our culture, they are not prescriptive or representative of specific firm policies.

Olivia's Growth:

Four years into her ghSMART journey, Olivia aspired to become a Partner, as part of our European team. She expanded her workload, took on two new clients, and led larger teams to gain broader experience. She also relocated with her family from a smaller town to larger city in the U.K., because she was excited to raise her children in a new environment and to be near many friends, family members, and clients she was close to. This intentional approach accelerated her learning, increased her income, and positioned her on a path to being a partner while living in a location that fulfilled her vision for her family.  

Alex’s Transition:

After eight years at ghSMART, Alex and his spouse decided it was time they wanted to become parents. He wanted a slightly less full plate during this transition while continuing to deliver the highest quality work and advisory support to his current clients. He learned how to be more efficient by taking on fewer new clients each year —always finding a colleague who could support them—and he apprenticed some newer colleagues into his existing client work so that his clients had a broader and stronger ghSMART team supporting them. These intentional and collaborative choices allowed him to maintain and even improve the quality of his client work and allowed him a greater presence during the first two years of parenthood than he otherwise might have had.

Sophia's Investment:

Sophia had been thriving in her consulting role but felt compelled to write a book on leadership strategies that could benefit her practice and all ghSMART current and prospective clients. By reducing her client hours by 10%, she created the necessary space in her schedule while still maintaining strong relationships with her clients. This effort enriched her practice and provided long-term insights for clients, demonstrating how professional goals and personal thought-leadership passions can coexist.

These stories illustrate how ghSMART’s flexible approach empowers consultants to align their professional commitments with personal priorities seamlessly.

Closing

At ghSMART, freedom and flexibility are not just ideals; they’re integral to our culture. Every consultant's journey is unique, reflecting their individual strengths, preferences, and circumstances.  By empowering consultants to choose how much they work, where they work from and how much we collaborate, we foster an environment where everyone can achieve their goals while making meaningful contributions to our clients and communities.

Explore your potential with us at ghSMART—where your career can truly reflect your life’s aspirations here.