The Kolbe A Index is an assessment that uncovers natural strengths and innate abilities. The most effective organizations around the world are using it to hire, retain, and organize highly effective teams. We sat down with Conative Behavior Specialist and Kolbe enthusiast, Brittany Tucker, to learn more about Kolbe and how businesses like yours can leverage the assessment to build your dream team.

First off, can you explain what the Kolbe A Index measures?

I’d love to! The first thing to know is that there are three unique parts of your mind. The first is the affective part, which accounts for things like your personality, likes, and dislikes. Common assessments that measure this part of the mind include Myers Briggs and DiSC. The second is the cognitive part of your mind which accounts for what you know and how you learn. An SAT or IQ test might measure this aspect of your mind. And, finally, there is the lesser-known conative part of your brain–the part that accounts for your human nature and how you naturally go about solving problems given the freedom to do it your way. The Kolbe A Index is the only validated assessment that measures this part of your mind.

What makes the Kolbe so different from other assessments on the market?

Your Kolbe results never change. Both the affective and cognitive parts of your brain can and will change over time. The conative part of you remains the same for life. You can take the Kolbe today or ten years from now and your results would be exactly the same.

What exactly do Kolbe A Index results reveal?

Your Kolbe results reveal your MO (modus operandi), the innate and instinctive ways in which we approach the world. If you had the freedom to do it your way, how would you take action? How would you go about solving a problem naturally?

Each person’s results are divided into four action modes:

  • Fact Finding: how you gather and share information. Do you need tons of details to start a project, or more of a bottom-line big picture?
  • Follow Thru: how you organize and arrange things. Are you a process creator? Or do you create shortcuts?
  • QuickStart: how you deal with risk and change. Are you someone who thrives in experimenting and looking at the future for new ideas? Or are you someone who protects the status quo and eliminates any risks that come with change?
  • Implementor: how you deal with physical space and tangible objects. Are you hands on? Or is your natural strength to envision what could be?

How can employees and HR departments benefit from the Kolbe Index?

When you know how you’re naturally wired and you’re working within your Kolbe, you’ll work more efficiently. If you’re working against your grain every day, you’re going to be less effective and use more energy that typically leads to burnout and stress.

The majority of HR departments today hire based off of the cognitive part of a candidate’s mind. They rely on resumes and past experience to make hiring decisions. Some will also take the affective part of a candidate’s brain into account, realizing that personality is key to fitting into company culture. What they often fail to take into consideration is the conative factors that contribute to job success. They hire someone who looks great on paper with a wonderful personality, only to see them leave three months later.

So, what can businesses expect after gaining insights from the Kolbe Index?

You’re going to have less stress in the office. Period. You’ll feel more confident placing the right people in the right roles. Team collaboration will skyrocket because everybody is working to the best of their natural abilities. Productivity and efficiency improve because you know who will thrive naturally in each task.

When I teach teams their Koble, it’s always an eye-opening experience. People who have worked together for ten years, struggling over what they perceived to be the other’s personality flaws, realize that it was simply a difference in wiring. It’s incredible to see how the assessment can help heal relationships, improve communication, and transform company culture.

When is the best time for businesses to leverage the Kolbe Index?

While the Kolbe is a wonderful tool to use in the hiring process, it’s also a powerful resource for teams that are already in place. The knowledge you gain from the assessment can help you restructure responsibilities in the office and keep everybody happy. Ultimately, it will help you save time, money, energy, and resources. It’s expensive to hire the wrong person, and it’s expensive to lose your best employees due to burnout.

People perform their best when they’re free to trust their instincts. The Kolbe system is proven to help organizations optimize growth by teaching you and your team how to leverage the power of human instincts and exceed your organization’s goals. If you’re curious to learn more, let’s talk!