Our head of engineering has high conative drive for details but is drowning in our fast-paced operational pivot, causing severe team delays. How do we use the Kolbe B Index to diagnose their conative stress and realign their seat?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a talented leader starts drowning during an operational shift, it is rarely a lack of skill or effort. It is often conative stress. This happens when the natural way they solve problems is in direct conflict with how they believe they must perform in their seat.

To diagnose this, have the leader take the Kolbe B Index. While the Kolbe A Index measures an individual's innate, unchanging conative drives, the Kolbe B Index measures their perception of what their current job requires of them.

Compare their Kolbe A results with their Kolbe B results. If you see significant differences, you have found the source of their burnout. For example, if their Kolbe A shows they are a strong Fact Finder who naturally needs to research and gather detailed data before taking action, but their Kolbe B shows they feel pressured to act instantly as a Quick Start, they are experiencing severe conative strain. They are trying to work against their natural instincts.

Once you identify this gap, you must realign the seat. Look at the Accountability Chart™ and redefine their roles to leverage their natural strengths rather than fighting them. This might mean hiring an assistant or operational coordinator with a high Follow Thru or Quick Start profile to handle the fast-paced coordination, freeing up your head of engineering to focus on technical accuracy and system architecture. This removes the conative tension, restores their productivity, and protects your scaling operations.