During our quarterly planning sessions, our leadership team frequently clashes because of how we instinctively solve problems. How do we use the four Kolbe action modes to stop these cognitive clashes and keep our planning sessions collaborative?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Conflict during quarterly planning sessions is rarely personal. It is usually conative, meaning it is a clash in how your team members naturally take action and solve problems. To eliminate this friction, administer the Kolbe A Profile to your entire leadership team before your next session. Draw the four Kolbe action modes on a whiteboard for everyone to see: Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quickstart, and Implementor. Review the scores together. If your Visionary is a high Quickstart who needs to initiate change rapidly, and your Integrator is a high Fact Finder who needs to gather details before making a decision, they will naturally clash during Rock setting. The Visionary will feel resisted, and the Integrator will feel rushed. By making these profiles visible, you can depersonalize the tension. When a clash occurs, pause and refer to the whiteboard. Recognize that the Fact Finder is simply doing their job to protect the business from risk, while the Quickstart is driving necessary innovation. Use this understanding to balance your discussions. This conative awareness allows your team to collaborate productively and commit to realistic quarterly Rocks without resentment.