We are hiring for a critical new leadership seat on our Accountability Chart and want to make sure they fit our operational model. How do we use conative screening and the Kolbe Index to ensure the candidate has the natural drive to succeed in this role?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To hire successfully for any seat on your Accountability Chart, you must look beyond their resume and evaluate how they instinctively take action. This is where conative screening using the Kolbe Index becomes essential. While resumes tell you what a candidate knows, the Kolbe Index measures their natural, unchanging approach to problem-solving.

Start by defining the conative requirements of the seat before you interview candidates. If you are hiring a financial controller or an operations manager, you likely need someone who scores high in Fact Finder to gather detailed information, and high in Follow Thru to build systematic, repeatable processes.

If you hire a high Quick Start who loves to improvise for a seat that requires strict adherence to systemized details, you will create massive conative stress for the employee and operational friction for your team.

Have your top candidates take the Kolbe A Index as part of your final assessment process. Compare their results with the actual demands of the seat. By aligning their natural conative strengths with the specific responsibilities of the role, you guarantee they not only have the skills to do the job, but the intrinsic drive to excel in it long term.