355 | Dr. Geoff Smart | Why Most Hiring Practices Fail–and What Actually Works

The Greatness Machine

Darius Mirshahzadeh

Entrepreneurship, Education, Business

5 • 962 Ratings

🗓️ 7 May 2025

⏱️ 69 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How do you really know if someone is the right fit for your team—or your company’s future? In this episode of The Greatness Machine, Darius sits down with Dr. Geoff Smart, founder of GH Smart and author of the bestselling book Who, to break down what separates successful hiring from costly mistakes. Geoff reveals the power of evidence-based assessments, why psych tests often fall short, and how intense curiosity—not stress—is the key to unlocking a candidate's true potential. From helping Fortune 500 companies select CEOs to coaching emerging leaders, Geoff shares stories, strategies, and myths about the hiring process—plus, why the "sell me this pen" test is just bad business. In this episode, Darius and Geoff will discuss: (00:00) Introduction to Geoff Smart and His Journey (02:55) The Importance of Hiring and Core Values (06:08) Geoff's Origin Story and Founding GH Smart (09:00) Cultural Fit and Hiring Process (11:55) The Role of Core Values in Business (14:52) Firing with Respect and Responsibility (18:05) A Players vs. B Players in Hiring (20:54) Adapting to Different Stages of Business Growth (30:05) Identifying A-Players for Growth (34:02) The Importance of Leadership in Organizations (40:25) Effective Interview Techniques (43:00) Assessing CEOs and Leadership Roles (48:44) Onboarding and Post-Hiring Strategies (55:20) Overcoming Fear of Failure Dr. Geoff Smart is the chairman and founder of ghSMART, a leadership advisory firm that helps CEOs, entrepreneurs, and public-sector leaders build high-performing teams. Founded in 1995, ghSMART is recognized for its rigorous hiring methods, impactful leadership development, and a culture of excellence. The firm has topped Glassdoor and Vault rankings and published several bestselling books, including “Who: The A Method for Hiring”. Geoff holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and was mentored by management legend Peter Drucker. Beyond business, he’s committed to public service and leadership development through programs like the Colorado Governors Fellowship and his work with CiviCo. Sponsored by: Brevo: Get started free or save 50% for 3 months with code GREATNESS at brevo.com/greatness. Huel: Try Huel with 15% OFF + Free Gift for New Customers today using my code greatness at https://huel.com/greatness. Fuel your best performance with Huel today! Indeed: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/DARIUS. Notion: Get Notion Mail for free right now at notion.com/machine. ShipStation: Go to shipstation.com and use code GREATNESS to sign up for your FREE trial. Shopify: Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/darius. Connect with Geoff: Website: https://geoffsmart.com/ Website: https://ghsmart.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgeoffsmart/ Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://therealdarius.com/youtube Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Write a review for The Greatness Machine using this link: https://ratethispodcast.com/spreadinggreatness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Life's chaotic enough. Trust me. I just had a freeze mid-episode because my Wi-Fi quit again.
0:05.1	If you run any commerce business, you know shipping can be its own kind of chaos. That's why I use ShipStation.
0:09.9	One login, all your stores, automate tasks, print labels, and a click, and save up to 90% on shipping
0:15.2	rates from FedEx, UPS, USPS, and more. It's simple. It scales with you and it saves me so much time and stress.
0:21.9	Once you ship smarter, go to shipstation.com and use the code greatness to start your free trial.
0:26.6	That's shipstation.com code greatness.
0:29.5	When I started this podcast, I had to figure out everything out on my own.
0:33.3	Scripts, branding, editing. It was a lot. If I had Shopify back then, game changer.
0:39.3	Shopify powers millions of businesses, including 10% of all U.S. e-commerce, with tools to build
0:44.6	your online store, write content with AI, and run marketing like a pro. Turn your big idea into
0:49.6	with Shopify on your side. Start with your $1 per month trial at Shopify.com slash Darius.
0:57.1	That's Shopify.com slash Darius.
1:00.6	What's up, gang?
1:01.2	Welcome to The Greatness Machine.
1:02.3	I'm your host Darius from Shazda.
1:03.5	I'm so pumped to have you here with me.
1:05.0	Now listen, the greatness machine were about two things.
1:08.0	Number one, people were living their passions.
1:10.1	And number two,
1:11.0	those who are creating greatness in the world and doing both of these things despite the odds
1:14.9	against them. Each episode, we're going to feature interviews with game changers, business
1:18.7	leaders, telling us their origin stories, what made them tick, what got them to where they are now.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 26 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Darius Mirshahzadeh, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Darius Mirshahzadeh and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.