How do we use conative assessments like the Kolbe A Profile during our quarterly EOS sessions to resolve communication friction on the leadership team?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To build a high-performing leadership team, you need to understand not just what your people think or feel, but how they naturally take action. This is where conative tools like the Kolbe A Profile become invaluable within your EOS® process. Prior to our Quarterly Pulsing™ sessions, I have the entire team complete their Kolbe A assessments. During the session, we map out these profiles on a whiteboard to visualize the team's collective conative makeup across the four action modes: Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start, and Implementor. This visual exercise instantly explains why certain leaders clash. For example, a leader with a high Fact Finder score naturally needs deep details and data before making a decision, whereas a leader with a high Quick Start score prefers to move fast and iterate on the fly. By understanding these innate problem-solving drives, your team can stop taking operational friction personally. Instead of viewing a colleague as stubborn or reckless, you recognize that they are simply operating in their natural zone of strength. This understanding directly improves your ability to solve issues during the IDS® portion of your meetings. It also helps you assess whether team members truly GWC™, meaning they Get, Want, and have the Capacity to do their jobs, particularly in high-stress execution environments.