Understanding your Kolbe A™ results, and those of your team members, will save your company time and money when it comes to investing in systems and automations that are designed to help you grow.
Many smart, capable CEOs don’t always realize that even though they understand the necessity of having robust, streamlined systems, they may not be the best person to create those systems!
Alternatively, people who create or choose systems for companies sometimes underestimate what characteristics a system needs to have so that it can work for everyone who has to use it, especially for those who thrive when they can adapt or find system shortcuts.
Here are three questions to consider when choosing and setting up a new system or automations for your company:
- Is this system one that’s easily adapted? Does it make creating shortcuts easy?
- With proper training, will relevant team members be able to use the basic features consistently and successfully?
- Does the person designated to set up the system for your company thrive on creating systems?
Someone who generally feels an aversion toward creating systems might be totally fine using one on a regular basis, but they might also bring an alternate strength to the party: the ability to ADAPT or tweak a system.
Kathy Kolbe describes the Follow Thru action mode as how a person “organizes information” and for many CEOs, their follow thru score directly correlates to how they interact with systems.
Let’s take my Kolbe score in the Follow Thru action mode as an example. I’m a “4” and able to maintain systems fairly easily when they make sense. Creating robust systems isn’t easy for me, but when a member of my team who initiates in Follow Thru creates a system and asks me to use it, I’m generally able to accommodate.
But let’s consider my colleague and the CEO of Epic at Sales, Laura Wright. Laura is a self-described “system breaker.” She really struggles with creating and maintaining systems in her business. But as a 2 in follow thru, she’s keenly aware that her strength is her ability to adapt!
She uses this knowledge to her advantage and allows her team to create fail-proof systems that easily adapt to her. They work ahead on producing content for the business internally, but they have a great option that allows Laura to quickly change the content if she’s feeling inspired.
Because her team knows she’s likely to adapt or “break” the system at the last minute, they’ve intentionally designed them so she can. The whole team is ready to work with her if she feels the need to adapt and change things, and Laura’s intuitive sense that knows when fluidity is necessary continues to serve her well.
Most importantly, it keeps Laura from feeling stuck in a rigid system that doesn’t allow her CEO Instincts to guide her to inspired action.
In a world where there’s no person who Initiates in Follow Thru to create a system, it’s essential to find a way to set up a system that can be maintained and adapted without harming the whole.
Here are some tips that will help you do this:
When Evaluating a Program…
Consider simplicity for those who adapt – One of the easiest ways to help CounterActing Follow Thru individuals thrive when using software is to select tools that cater to a variety of ability levels and learning styles. A complex program with a steep learning curve might be perfect for your company IF there’s a flexible option for those who aren’t advanced user or who rebel against rigidity.
Choose programs that integrate well with other programs – Someone who prefers to keep systems flexible might be able to thrive if they can keep using a software they know well. Their habitual, cognitive knowledge will see them through using a familiar software and the integration will allow the rest of the team to have a more robust tool to serve the greater needs of the company.
Consolidate and keep things streamlined – As your company grows, more complex and robust software and systems will be needed. Make a point to periodically review your tools and consider consolidating them as technology continues to evolve. New features are added all the time, allowing your favorite program to become even more indispensable when it adds an awesome feature.
Accommodating Follow Thru Tip: As a 4 in follow thru, I consider myself to be a “bridge” who can both create a system and adapt one. My preference is to maintain, which is why I prefer to use a simple software that I can use well, over a more robust one that overwhelms me.
