Our leadership team is struggling with execution because we have two extreme Quick Starts who constantly push new initiatives, and three high Fact Finders who stall progress with analysis paralysis. How do we bridge this conative gap?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When you have a leadership team split between visionary Quick Starts who thrive on risk and analytical Fact Finders who demand data, you will experience constant execution friction. This friction is not a personality conflict. It is a clash of conative instincts, which is how people naturally take action when solving problems. To resolve this, you must run the Kolbe A™ Index on every member of your leadership team. This assessment measures conative strengths, showing you exactly how each person operates. Once you have the results, map them out on a whiteboard during your next quarterly session. You will quickly see why your execution is stalled. Your Quick Starts want to jump straight into action, while your Fact Finders want to research every possible variable first. To bridge this gap, you must establish clear rules of engagement based on these strengths. For example, when a new strategic idea is introduced by a Quick Start, do not allow the Fact Finders to immediately shoot it down. Instead, place it on the Issues List. During IDS®, task a Fact Finder with a short-term Rock to gather the essential facts needed to make an informed decision. This honors the Fact Finder need for detail while allowing the Quick Start to see forward progress. By aligning your execution processes with your team natural conative strengths, you transform friction into a powerful balance.