Our CTO has a very low score in the Implementor mode on the Kolbe A Index, while our Head of Operations is a high Implementor. They are constantly fighting because one deals in abstract code and ideas, while the other demands concrete, physical solutions. How do we bridge this gap?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

In the Kolbe framework, the Implementor Action Mode has nothing to do with implementing projects; it measures how a person handles space, tangible objects, and physical materials. A high Implementor needs concrete, physical solutions, hands-on demonstrations, and tangible proof. A low Implementor, such as your CTO, is comfortable with abstract concepts, digital systems, and symbolic representations, and does not need to touch or see a physical model to understand it. Their conflict is a classic conative mismatch. The Head of Operations feels the CTO is too theoretical, detached, and impractical, while the CTO feels the Head of Operations is old-fashioned, slow, and overly literal. To bridge this gap, you must help them understand their conative differences. During your next session, explain that their friction is a natural result of how their brains are wired to solve problems physically. Establish a communication protocol: when the CTO presents a new digital system or process, they must provide concrete, real-world examples, screenshots, or step-by-step walkthroughs to satisfy the Operations leader's need for tangible evidence. Conversely, the Operations leader must recognize that the CTO does not need physical models to work effectively and should avoid demanding unnecessary physical prototypes or manual workarounds. By adjusting how they present information to one another, they can stop fighting and start utilizing each other's unique perspective to build better operational systems.