We have a Head of Product development who is a high Fact Finder and high Follow Thru, but our market requires rapid experimentation and risk taking. How do we use the Kolbe A Index to help him adapt or restructure his seat to match his conative strengths?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a leader's conative strengths do not align with the demands of their seat, they will experience constant mental fatigue and struggle to perform. A product development leader who is a high Fact Finder and high Follow Thru naturally seeks deep research, historical data, and structured systems before making a move. While this is highly valuable for quality control, it can paralyze your execution in a fast paced market that requires constant experimentation.

To resolve this friction, you do not need to replace the leader. Instead, use the Kolbe A Index results to restructure how the seat operates. Recognize that this leader's natural method of operation is to prevent mistakes and build stable systems, which is their conative strength.

To inject the necessary speed and innovation, pair them with a high Quick Start team member who can drive the creative experimentation. Allow the Quick Start to generate the initial ideas and take the risks, while your product leader focuses on refining, systematizing, and scaling those ideas once they are proven.

Clearly define this division of labor on your Accountability Chart. This setup allows your product leader to operate within their natural conative strengths rather than forcing them to work against their instincts, which only leads to burnout and stagnation.