Our leadership team has massive friction because some of our leaders want endless details before making a decision, while others want to move fast and take immediate action. How do we use conative profiles to resolve this conflict?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

The friction you are experiencing is not a personality conflict; it is a cognitive clash caused by different conative styles. To resolve this, you must integrate the Kolbe A Profile into your quarterly planning and weekly operations. The Kolbe Index measures an individual's instinctive way of taking action across four modes: Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quickstart, and Implementor. In many leadership teams, you have high Fact Finders who naturally require extensive data and research before making a move, working alongside high Quickstarts who thrive on risk, change, and immediate action. Without understanding these profiles, the high Quickstart views the Fact Finder as a bureaucratic bottleneck, while the Fact Finder views the Quickstart as a reckless loose cannon. Once your team completes their Kolbe assessments, draw the framework on a whiteboard during your next quarterly session. Discuss how each person's natural drive affects their communication and decision-making. Teach your team to leverage these differences as strengths rather than sources of frustration. For example, when evaluating a new initiative, let the high Quickstart pitch the vision, but rely on the high Fact Finder to conduct the necessary due diligence. By acknowledging and respecting these instinctive strengths, you eliminate the personal friction, speed up your decision-making, and build a highly balanced leadership team that executes with precision.