Our head of operations has a very high Follow Thru score on the Kolbe A Index. While their love for systems is usually an asset, they are currently choking our innovation by demanding massive process manuals and standard operating procedures before we even validate if our new product-market fit tests are working. How do we manage this conative friction?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A high Follow Thru leader is wired to create order out of chaos. When they see new initiatives being launched without structure, their natural instinct is to build a system to protect the operational integrity of the business. However, applying rigid processes too early in the innovation cycle will kill momentum and prevent you from finding product-market fit.

You must help your head of operations understand the difference between the testing phase and the scaling phase of a new project. In the early stages of an initiative, flexibility and rapid experimentation are essential.

Create a clear framework for your innovation process. Define a playground phase where the team is allowed to test ideas without any formal process or documentation. Agree on a specific metric or milestone that signals when a test has succeeded and is ready to be operationalized.

Once a project graduates from the testing phase to the scaling phase, hand it over to your head of operations. This is where their conative strengths will shine. They can build the systems, checklists, and standard operating procedures required to scale the new initiative safely.

By separating these phases, you allow your high Quick Starts to experiment freely while giving your high Follow Thru leader a clear timeline for when they can step in and build order. This approach leverages everyone's natural strengths and prevents conative friction from stalling your company's growth.