Our Head of Sales is a high Quick Start and our Head of Operations is a high Follow Thru. They are both in the right seats, but their conative differences are causing constant project delays. How do we use conative screening tools to resolve this structural friction?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This friction is incredibly common on leadership teams. Your Head of Sales is naturally wired to initiate change quickly, take risks, and iterate on the fly. Your Head of Operations is instinctively driven to create order, build structured processes, and ensure everything runs systematically. This is a classic conative clash, but it is actually a massive strength if managed correctly.

To resolve this friction, you must make their conative profiles visible and use the Kolbe Index as a shared language. During a Level 10 Meeting™, take time to review their scores. Explain that the Head of Sales is not trying to create chaos, and the Head of Operations is not trying to slow things down. They are both simply operating out of their natural conative strengths.

Next, adjust how they collaborate on your Accountability Chart initiatives. Establish a strict handoff protocol. When the Head of Sales wants to launch a new initiative or sales strategy, they must present the high-level concept to the Head of Operations. The Head of Operations can then use their analytical strength to build the system and process around it.

Both leaders must agree to respect each other's boundaries. The Head of Sales must give the Head of Operations the necessary time to build the infrastructure before launching. The Head of Operations must commit to finding a systematic way to execute the vision rather than shut it down. By aligning their roles with their natural conative wiring, you turn destructive friction into a powerful engine for scalable growth.