I jumped headfirst into the world of podcasts this past year. I have a whole bunch that I love, and it’s actually incredible how much I can learn while driving or getting ready in the morning.
While I was driving from the University of Wisconsin - Madison to Chicago last month, I listened to a podcast about the value of the Kolbe A Index. I’d never heard of it before but by the end of the episode, I was completely sold. I was dying to get to my hotel so that I could take it myself!
This index measures a person’s instinctive way of doing things in order to identify their strengths. Essentially, there are four categories: Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start, and Implementor. After taking the short assessment, a person is rated on a 1-10 scale in each category to learn about their instinctive action pattern in that particular category.
The key, though, is that none of this is “bad” or “good.”
A person who has a low score in the Fact Finder category might be great at looking at the big picture without needing to deal with details. On the flip side, a person with a high score in that category might be great at research, collecting information and making meaning of that information (data analysis, basically).
The objective is to use the findings to make sure that the person has a career and relationships that align with their natural instincts - this is what will lead to their happiness and success.
Don’t read into the actual names of the categories too much, because they aren’t as directly linked as you might expect (this is actually my only criticism - I find the names confusing).
For instance, Implementor isn’t about a person’s instinctive ability to implement, as I would guess; it’s about tangibles, and measures mental vs. physical implementation. Along the same lines, Follow Thru is more about adaptability and the need for processes.
Here are my results:
In news that did not surprise me one bit, I am a middle-to-high Fact Finder and have the second-highest Quick Start score possible- meaning that in addition to my obsession with data, I have a natural tendency to innovate and problem-solve. I have a low Implementor score, so I’m good at figuring out ideas in my head and useless when it comes to fixing or setting up physical items.
My report actually advised that I’d be unhappy if I had to “take responsibility for maintaining equipment, demonstrate the use of mechanical stuff, or take apart small appliances.” You do not have to tell me any of that twice!
I also have a low Follow Thru score, meaning that I enjoy “cut[ting] through bureaucracy” and would be unhappy if I had to “adhere to redundant systems.” YES!
what I thought was really interesting is that parents can use this information TO IMPROVE THEIR DAY-TO-DAY INTERACTIONS WITH TEENAGE OR ADULT CHILDREN.
How often do we hear ourselves (and other parents) saying things like “I just don’t understand why she makes the same mistakes over and over again” or “Why isn’t he willing to visit colleges”? Well, this will help you understand exactly what’s going on - and how your child’s natural instincts impact their actions.
Instead of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, parents can compare their own Kolbe A Index score with their child’s Kolbe Y Index score to learn about how the two align and how they can most effectively communicate and interact with one another.
We can also work with teenagers’ Kolbe scores to help them try to figure out which careers could be the best natural fit.
The idea is that if you force someone into a behavior or role that goes against the person’s natural instinct, they won’t succeed.
I learned that my score report above suggested that I would find success and happiness as a combined subject matter expert and entrepreneur.
Pretty cool, right?
(Note: This is not a sponsored post at all - I just really think Kolbe scores could be helpful for families!)