I am preparing to hand over the reins of my company to my current COO, but I worry they lack the entrepreneurial drive to grow it. How can I use conative testing to verify if they have the hardwired traits to lead?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To evaluate a potential successor, you must look beyond their personality and skills to their hardwired conative drive. Personality tests measure how a person feels or behaves, which can change over time. Conation measures the innate, unchanging way an individual naturally approaches problems, takes action, and manages structure.

When choosing a successor, you must ensure they truly GWC, meaning they get, want, and have the capacity to do the job. To evaluate their capacity, use a conative assessment like the Aptive Index to measure their natural pace and approach to tasks. This will reveal their innate tendencies toward structure versus flexibility, their drive for precision, and their motivation to influence outcomes.

A highly effective COO or Integrator often has a strong conative drive for structure, process, and detail. However, leading a company as the top executive requires a different set of conative drives, particularly a higher tolerance for risk and a natural drive for innovation, often referred to as a Quick Start instinct.

If your successor's conative profile is heavily weighted toward maintaining existing systems rather than driving growth, they may struggle to lead the company forward once you exit. By understanding their conative profile early, you can design a balanced leadership team around them to fill any strategic gaps and ensure long-term operational success.