How to Integrate the Kolbe™ System to Optimize Talent

The New Year is here and with it come resolutions and new commitments.

Did you set big goals for 2023? 

A goal I see frequently is for organizations to become more people-centered. They realize the more they invest in their people, the more their people invest in the organization. When you have the right people in the right seats, and you put in the effort to give those people what they need to thrive, there’s no telling what your organization can achieve.

This is one of my favorite times of the year for what I do. People are ready to make changes and they’re open to the work it takes. Now is the time to capitalize on people’s openness to new ideas.

In honor of people’s tendency to be more receptive to change this time of year, I thought it was important to take you through the process of how integrating the Kolbe™ System can make 2023 your best year yet.

As we’ve discussed in previous blogs, the Kolbe™ System is one of the most unique toolsets because of its ability to identify instincts instead of personality, habits, or tendencies. I frequently joke with my clients that your Kolbe A™ Index doesn’t tell you anything you don’t already know about yourself. It validates who you are and how you operate. For most people, it’s freeing to have validation and to see the talents in writing. As the founder, Kathy Kolbe, says the Kolbe™ System gives you the freedom to be yourself.

From a team perspective, the Kolbe™ System helps you understand those around you on a deeper level. It allows teams to see their differences as strengths, better equipping them to work together to get the job done. Even if members on a team do not work together frequently, understanding each other’s MO gives them a leg up on how to work together and allows the job to be done more efficiently with a lot less stress.

For the Initiating Follow Thrus… what does the process look like?

Typically, my work begins with the leadership team. I do a deep consultation with each leader (individually!) so they understand their four-digit Kolbe A™Index result and can see their natural talents in their world - both personally and professionally. It’s also during these one-on-one sessions I get to talk to people about their doubts and concerns.  In very true to form instinctive talent, often times Initiating Fact Finders will start the conversation with “taking the Index was hard, I don’t think I did it correctly”.  Many people have been through other “trainings” and “people initiatives” that started out strong but went nowhere. It is through these one-on-one sessions we really get to validate your feelings and validate the result.

I, then, bring the team together for a session where the focus is learning about fellow colleagues.  From here, an engagement with a client then goes into other departments, teams, integrated into hiring, further coaching, and so much more. 

My Work Is Not a “One & Done”

The key to ALL of this, and making it a success, is being committed to actually putting the work in. Will you and your team learn a lot from a 2-hour session with me once a year? Sure. But will you get the true transformative power of the Kolbe™ System and get your team to a healthy operating standard? Absolutely not.

I’ve built my career with the Kolbe™ System because of its transformative power. I’m positive I can get your team where you want it to be but not with only one or two meetings a year.

The only way to get the best Kolbe™ has to offer is to commit yourself and your team to doing the work for the long haul. This doesn’t mean you’ll have to sign a 10-year contract or make sure no one on your team ever leaves. It means you are committed to having more frequent conversations than a once-a-year workshop. It means you understand solving “people issues” is hard work and doesn’t happen overnight. 

When we meet more frequently, we are able to work through any ups and downs your organization comes up against. Maybe someone decides to leave the organization and now you have a hole to fill. Maybe your organization is growing so you need to know how to integrate new people into your team. 

When we work together, I become a part of your team. Now, I don’t need a desk at your office or even to be a part of every meeting. But, I do need to be involved enough so I can understand what’s going on and how to make the team stronger. These “touch points” are what get me the information I need to be able to give you direction for your team.

I do have to be honest, this is my favorite part of my job. Helping people understand themselves and those on the team around them is where I get my reasons for why I do this work. It’s my passion.

Since we’re only a few days into 2023, take this time to reflect on where you want your organization to be this time next year. Do you want more cohesion and better work? Do you want less time spent on figuring out how to work together and more time actually working together?

This is your year. Don’t let another year pass you by where you think “Someday, I’ll invest in my team. We’re just too busy right now.” Busy will never go away. If you start today, think of where you and your team could be a year from now (honestly, even a month from now).

Reach out to me to save your spot on my calendar, and we’ll get right to work.