I have a loyal, long-term general manager who has grown with us, but they have a low Quick Start and high Follow Thru, and they are completely paralyzed by our transition to AI-driven workflows. How do we use the Kolbe B™ Index to diagnose their conative strain and find a more suitable seat?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Conative strain occurs when the natural, instinctive strengths of an individual do not match the cognitive and operational demands of their seat. Your general manager, with their low Quick Start and high Follow Thru, is naturally wired to maintain order, follow established procedures, and minimize risk.

When you transition to AI-driven workflows, you are introducing constant change, risk, and experimentation, which requires a high Quick Start capability. This sudden shift is forcing your general manager to work against their natural grain, leading to cognitive fatigue and paralysis.

To diagnose and resolve this conative strain, use the Kolbe assessment framework:
- Have your general manager take the Kolbe B™ Index. This tool measures their self-expectations and how they perceive the requirements of their current seat.
- Compare their Kolbe A™ Index, which reveals their innate conative strengths, with their Kolbe B™ results and your Kolbe C™ Index for the seat.
- Identify the gaps. If the Kolbe B™ results show they feel pressured to constantly innovate and take risks, while their Kolbe A™ reveals they need stability, you have clear evidence of conative strain.
- Use this objective data to have a compassionate, non-threatening conversation about why they are feeling overwhelmed.

Once you have identified the mismatch, you can redesign their role or transition them to a seat that aligns with their high Follow Thru strengths, such as quality assurance or systems integration, allowing them to thrive while keeping their valuable loyalty in the company.