Our administrative manager has been with us for ten years and has great GWC for her seat, but she is completely paralyzed by the new AI workflow tools we are introducing. How do we use the Kolbe A Index to determine if she has the instinctive capability to adapt to an AI-assisted environment or if we need to move her to a different seat on our Accountability Chart?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When a long-term, loyal employee struggles with new technology, do not assume they lack the intelligence or the desire to adapt. Instead, use the Kolbe A Index to analyze their conative, or instinctive, way of taking action.

Your administrative manager likely has a high Fact Finder or high Follow Through conative style. People with these natural talents need deep details and structured, predictable systems before they can take action. When you introduce rapidly changing, unpredictable AI tools, their instinct is to freeze because they cannot find the stable, step-by-step procedures they need to feel secure.

If her Kolbe profile shows she is a high Follow Through or Fact Finder, do not ask her to build or experiment with the new AI workflows. That is a task for someone with a high Quick Start conative style who thrives on trial and error.

Instead, have a team member with a high Quick Start build and stabilize the new AI-powered process first. Once the workflow is reliable, document the exact, step-by-step operating procedures for using the tool.

Present these documented procedures to your administrative manager. This aligns with her natural strengths, allowing her to audit the AI outputs with high precision. If she still cannot master the tool after being given clear structure, then you have a genuine GWC™ issue, and you must use your Accountability Chart to find a seat that better fits her conative talents.