Chris’s story is one of constant growth and adaptation. After playing professional soccer post-college, he ventured into different fields, always focusing on his role as a cultivator of change. Throughout his career, Chris noticed a repeated issue in many organizations: a disconnect between their beliefs and the behaviors they exhibited. This realization led him to the founding of Always About People, a consultancy aimed at helping organizations create cultures of clarity and alignment where individuals can truly prosper.
Chris’s approach is distinct from typical consulting firms that focus primarily on transactions and deliverables. Instead, Always About People emphasizes transformation and lasting change, serving as architects of aha moments that fundamentally shift organizational dynamics.
In our conversation, Chris shares valuable insights and lessons from his journey, including the importance of maintaining credibility, staying humble, and focusing on people. He also discusses his vision for the future, his daily motivations, and the core values that drive him. Whether you are a young professional, an entrepreneur, or simply interested in leadership and organizational development, Chris Allen’s experiences and wisdom offer a rich source of inspiration and practical advice.
Tell us about yourself and your story, how did you end up where you are?
I’ve played soccer my entire life, and it’s given me a unique perspective on life and organizations, seeing them like soccer teams. After college, I had the opportunity to play professional soccer. Post-soccer, I’ve had a diverse career across different industries, but the common thread in all of them is my role as a cultivator of change.
In many organizations, I noticed a disconnect between the beliefs of the organization and the behaviors exhibited. This misalignment within leadership made me realize that belief drives behavior. So, I launched Always About People to consult organizations on creating cultures of clarity where people can thrive. This clarity creates alignment and drives behavior. We work with organizations to drive leadership behaviors that bring out the best in individuals.
What’s your biggest lesson learned in your journey?
It’s always about people.
What separates you from the competition or other companies?
Typical consulting firms focus on transactions and deliverables. They might provide a great physical leave-behind, but does the change stick? We focus on transformation and change. We are cultivators of change and architects of aha moments.
Any tip/advice for young professionals or entrepreneurs?
- Work to develop credibility
- Stay humble.
- Keep your integrity.
- Focus your intent on people.
- Keep growing – IQ and EQ.
- Stay teachable. Accept feedback and correction.
- Stay gritty. Fail forward. Keep experimenting.
How do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see Always About People as a global organization recognized as thought leaders around people. We will be a portfolio company focused on cultivating change, encompassing a consulting firm, other products, and other companies, while calculating a thrive index.
What keeps you motivated every day?
Creating aha moments and helping people thrive energizes me.
What is your favorite quote of all time?
I don’t live by a specific quote, but I maintain these mindsets:
Belief drives behavior.
Everyone is insecure.
Never quit.
Leave it better than you found it.
It’s always about people.
What are the main factors that led you to where you are right now?
I love people! I’m a connector. I’ve stacked skills and layered learning through diverse experiences to have the credibility to launch Always About People. I got comfortable with risk and surrounded myself with people who impacted my beliefs about myself.
Who is your role model or inspiration in your life?
I try to model my life after Jesus Christ. I also have multiple mentors in my life, with my dad being my model as a husband and father.
What are your top 3 core values in life?
Authenticity, being scrappy (never quitting), and excellence.
What are key moments/turning points in your life?
Key moments and turning points in my life have significantly shaped who I am today. A knee injury was a crucial moment that forced me to realize that soccer, though a major part of my life, was not the most important thing. Marrying my wife brought immense support and partnership, while the birth of my kids added a new dimension to my personal and professional life. My tenure at Movement Mortgage, transitioning from a period of growth to an unexpected layoff, taught me resilience and adaptability. Launching my venture in Romania and hiring additional staff to manage our expanding workload were also critical landmarks, marking the growth and evolution of my business ventures. Each of these moments has contributed to my journey and the person I have become.
What personality traits make a good leader?
Humility, integrity, intent for the development of people, and intelligence (both IQ and EQ).
What is the best and worst part of your job?
The best part is impacting people and organizations and seeing people thrive. The worst part is that change is difficult, especially when I can see what’s possible, but the individual is not willing to change.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? How did you overcome it and what did you learn from it?
The biggest challenge was stepping out to build my own company. I overcame it through the support of my wife, my family, and many mentors. I learned that a fear of failure will keep you from your full potential. If you’re not willing to experiment and try things, you’ll never get anywhere.
What do you look for when outsourcing or hiring?
I look for a posture of humility. This creates curiosity, leading to better questions and a recognition that they don’t know everything.
What strategies do you use to stay ahead of the curve in your industry?
I read constantly and listen intently.
In what ways do you foster innovation and creativity within your organization?
I give people autonomy and constantly assess the need to be specific about my expectations, coach people toward self-discovery, support and serve, or fully delegate. This situational leadership brings out the greatest creativity in people.
How do you balance the pursuit of wealth and success with personal fulfillment and happiness?
A business needs to be profitable to be sustained, but the pursuit of wealth can lead to hasty decision-making and a deviation from one’s purpose. Our purpose is bigger than personal satisfaction; we aim to cultivate change and have an impact on people’s lives. The business needs to make money, but personal wealth is not the goal. Relationships have lasting value.
Name three books that changed your life and what did you learn from them?
1. The Bible – In a relationship with Jesus, the paradox of life is what has eternal value.
2. Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely – Human behavior is completely irrational, yet predictable.
3. A Failure of Nerve by Edwin H. Friedman – Leaders need courage to overcome the anxiety of people.
Chris Allen’s journey and insights are a testament to the power of belief, the importance of aligning behaviors with organizational values, and the transformative impact of focusing on people.
www.alwaysaboutpeople.com
www.linkedin.com/in/chrisallen
BY Egli HAXHIRAJ, Anamaria MESHKURTI and Jonida GJUZI
© All Rights Reserved Moneys Media Ltd Geneva, Switzerland.
