The buy-side legal team is demanding extensive, formal documentation of our internal workflows during due diligence, but our primary operations manager is a high Quick Start who excels at execution but struggles with detailed documentation. How do we use Kolbe profiles to bridge this operational gap and deliver the required data?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Due diligence often requires an overwhelming amount of formal documentation, which can create friction if your key operations manager is a high Quick Start who resists structured documentation. Forcing a high Quick Start to sit at a desk and write standard operating procedures is a recipe for frustration and incomplete work. To deliver the required data without burning out your key manager, you must use Kolbe profiles to align the work with your team's natural strengths. A high Quick Start excels at innovating and solving problems on the fly, but they need support when it comes to the Fact Finder and Follow Thru modes required for transaction due diligence. Identify a team member on your Accountability Chart who possesses a high Fact Finder or high Follow Thru profile. This individual naturally thrives on researching data, organizing files, and building structured systems. Assign this person to partner with your operations manager. The operations manager can explain the workflows verbally or record brief video walk-throughs of their processes. The high Fact Finder team member can then translate these recordings into the formal, detailed manuals the buyer's legal team requires. This collaborative approach respects everyone's natural instincts, ensures the diligence materials are highly accurate, and keeps your key operations seat focused on keeping the business running.