We have a critical department head who is struggling to meet their Rocks and seems increasingly stressed, even though they are a great culture fit. How do we use conative screening tools like the Kolbe B Index to diagnose if this is a job fit issue?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a high-performing, culturally aligned leader starts struggling, it is rarely a lack of effort. More often, it is conative stress, meaning they are being forced to solve problems in a way that goes against their natural instincts.

To diagnose this, you should compare their Kolbe A Index with their Kolbe B Index. The Kolbe A measures their innate, unchanging problem-solving instincts across four action modes: Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start, and Implementor. The Kolbe B measures their own perception of what their job requires of them.

If there is a significant gap between their Kolbe A and Kolbe B scores, they are experiencing severe conative strain. For example, if their natural instinct is a low Follow Thru, but they believe their job requires them to build rigid processes and checklists, they are constantly fighting their own wiring. This leads to burnout and missed Rocks.

By analyzing these reports, you can identify where the job expectations are misaligned with their natural strengths. You can then adjust their seat on the Accountability Chart™, reassign tasks that drain them, or provide support resources to bridge the gap, allowing them to operate in their natural zone of productivity.