The Kolbe System is one of the assessments tools we often use to shape our clients’ roadmap to leadership team alignment and high performance. What makes this tool so effective?
Kolbe measures how individuals naturally solve problems; their instinctive, go-to patterns when taking action. These are patterns that never change over the course of a person’s lifetime, so they are an important piece of the puzzle to determine how a leadership team can work best together. In the context of a team coaching engagement, we use the Kolbe scores both in one-on-one sessions – for the individuals’ own development – and in team sessions, to help team members understand each other and leverage their synergies.
Kolbe For Individual Self-Awareness and Management
During the one-on-one sessions with the leaders, we look at what their Kolbe scores reveal about their natural inclinations on how to approach the work. Do they tend to gather plenty of information (Fact Finder) or put a process in place (Follow Thru) before they start any action? Do they just jump in without any preparation to see what happens (Quick Start)? Or do they need to have high a quality demonstration (Implementor) before they get to work?
Then, we look at their perception of how their role requires them to act. This is very important. If the expectations for the role are different from how their instincts want them to perform, this can cause a type of mental exhaustion. Kolbe calls it, “Strain.” For example, their role might call for them to follow a rigid sets of systems and procedures while their natural tendency is to always initiate new approaches. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are not a good fit for the role. We explore how their natural patterns support their current role and where they might pose a challenge. We look for ways they can excel in the way they are wired while delegating the tasks that are more draining for them to other people who will find them energizing.
The aha’s that come from these discussions can be life-changing. People describe their results as validating and reassuring.
Using Kolbe To Optimize Teamwork
We often like people who work like we do. In fact, many people tend to hire others who work like them. The Kolbe System research shows that this is a mistake. Leadership teams made up of people with different instinctive approaches to problem-solving tend to produce better results. However, this might not be immediately evident for team members.
Leveraging Different Patterns of Action Across the Team
When we start working with the leaders on a team, we may find that those with different innate approaches are having a tough time collaborating. They find each other’s patterns frustrating. As we explain each person’s Kolbe scores and how they play out in practice, the rest of the team begins to understand why they operate the way they do. They start to appreciate their unique contribution to the team. We then consider how the team members can support each other’s patterns to deliver the strongest possible results. The level of respect increases, and work relationships grow more effective. Members who used to be at each other’s throats are now thrilled to collaborate.
Addressing Pattern Similarities That Cause Team Issues
Likewise, executive teams composed of leaders with similar problem-solving patterns will have struggles. Depending on the dominant tendencies, they may get continuously stuck in analysis paralysis or have a habit of springing into new initiatives without the necessary amount of preparation or follow-through. For example, take an executive accounting team. Most of the people who are attracted to this type of work are very detailed and process oriented. They may perform their individual roles very well but when they come together as a team, their analytical tendencies can get them stuck in the weeds. Meetings can be long and tedious. They might struggle to meet deadlines.
Here are some of the strategies we might encourage this type of team to adopt in this case:
- Divide the leadership team strategically to break up their similar patterns. The sub teams can create solutions to present to the entire team.
- Ensure meetings have an agenda and defined timeframes to keep discussions moving along.
- Share key information before the meeting so the members who have a natural need for details have time to review, ask questions and be ready when the meeting begins. So, we are not saying they can’t do their fact checking, we are recommending they do that work before a meeting to ensure the meeting is not spent discussing the specifics and they can get to the key objective of the meeting – making decisions.
The goal is always to find ways of collaborating that allow all team members to be true to themselves and lean on their innate strengths. That’s how you create a high-performance leadership team.
Helping a team understand and manage their natural approach to problem solving is a key ingredient to creating the team’s personalized roadmap to success. Every team is different, and their roadmaps reflect their talents and challenges.
Are the leaders on your executive team getting in each other way and struggling to collaborate? Let’s talk!
The Kolbe System™ is the trademark of Kathy Kolbe and Kolbe Corp. All rights reserved.
