We talk a lot about the zone of genius here at C+P. And no. It’s not easy getting people to admit to even HAVING a zone of genius! Yes, we are a humble bunch! 😂
But listen up folks – we ALL have a zone of genius. That part of ourselves that is simply exceptional. And if you’re not sure what yours is – than you’re in the right place!
Have you taken a Kolbe test yet? It’s super cool – everyone on our team has done one. In their words: “Kolbe is a program that understands and builds on your instinctive strengths. Understanding your core self can unlock productivity and joy for yourself, at work and with your family.”
I know. Sounds a bit 🔮‘woo-woo hippy-dippy’ 🔮doesn’t it? But it’s really not.
Case study: One of the most cynical people on our team (whose name shall not be revealed 😂😬🤣) took a Kolbe test recently – and was blown away by its accuracy.
Here are her results:
See those long reds and blues?
Those makes her a *bit* (💥💥💥 UNDERSTATEMENT!! 💥💥💥) of an anomaly on our team! BUT a perfect fit for the role she performs.
And THAT is the beauty of Kolbe. It’s no secret that “like attracts like” – but building a team of people identical to yourself is not the best move for long-term business success.
Because Kolbe allows people to really home in on their zones of genius, it allows YOU to build crazy-complimentary teams! 🔥💥🔥
Our guest on the 4AM Report this week, Laural Carr, is founder and CEO of Toronto-based marketing firm Impagination, and also a Kolbe certified consultant.
Let’s let her do the talking. By the time you’ve finished reading, we guarantee you’ll be a Kolbe-convert!
What in the HECK is Kolbe?
“It’s an online assessment. There are 36 questions. Each question requires two answers. And within the assessment, it self-checks so there’s consistency, so when the actual result which becomes your Kolbe index is revealed, that it has been verified through consistency within the assessment questions and answers. Kathy Kolb is the creator of the Kolbe assessment. She created it 45 years ago and it has used it in a lot of different ways. But, 20 years ago, they tested to see if people’s assessments had changed over 20 years – and they did not! There may have been very minor shifts, but not outside the zones of operation. Maybe I should explain the mechanics. It assesses four different action modes. And Susan mentioned the red, which is a Fact Finder, how much information and detail and specificity somebody needs. And I like to equate it to making a decision, because making a decision is an action. So, someone who has a lot of energy in red, who has a lot of Fact Finder, is going to have a lot of energy to research. A lot of detail. Then the second mode of action is called follow through. That is how somebody will structure and organize and see patterns in either detail or information or in the way something is operating. The third action mode is called Quick Start. And that’s the green one. And that is how much risk and how tolerant to uncertainty someone may be. The fourth action style is implementor. How someone will express themselves using actual physical, tactical, tangible things – either sketches, designs, models, PowerPoint presentations, all of that.”
How It Helps Teams Function Better
“I’m so excited when I get a chance to work with team leaders, because there are so many frustrations right now as they try to navigate people working remotely. People that are very attached to working in a certain structure that doesn’t exist anymore. All of those things. There are so many ways that Kolbe can help someone who’s managing a team. For one, it allows you to create a more collaborative team where people don’t feel like they’re really stuck in a silo. And you can allow people to see the importance of what they have to contribute towards a project or towards a goal. And it allows you to also reward and appreciate those people for what they bring to the project that might not be what you thought. Might not be the role – on paper – that you thought for them, but in fact it allows a team to reach out to each other and say, ‘Hey, you’re better at structuring information. And using Excel spreadsheets. Why don’t I give you this and I’ll do this other part for you?’ So it allows people to sort of take ownership of what they can bring to the table, which is just a huge relief for a manager or a business owner, to have people self-manage that way.”
What Would You Say to the Skeptics?
“A lot of people who are introduced to Kolbe are very skeptical, like ‘Is it some kind of psychological profiling? Is it going to tell you something I don’t know about myself already??’ What I love about Kolbe is that it tells you the truth about yourself, forever. It’s like opening up a reality check on what really is the right way for you to be, in all aspects of your life. And there’s no discrimination or, let’s say, bias – you know, gender or cultural background, anything because it’s really about taking action, and everybody takes action. I love that once someone owns their results, really steps into it and owns it, that they are really able to be super productive. They’re able to really advocate for themselves, in a work situation, or with their kids or their partner. And you know, at the beginning of the pandemic, I was offering Kolbe consultations for couples, because here suddenly, people who would normally spend eight or 10 hours away from each other every day are now in this kind of pandemic jail being isolated together, and maybe their action styles at work are very different than how they operate at home and they’re suddenly like, ‘Who is this?’ A lot of people ask me, when they are about to do the assessment, ‘Is it going to show me my blind spots? Is it going to show me where I’m weak?’ And I always say it’s never going to tell you anything you don’t already know. It’s just going to allow you to see it and embrace it.”
There’s lots more from Laural in the actual episode, so give yourself a 20-minute break and have a listen.
If you’re losing sleep over a particular marketing/business related problem during this Covid-19 economic uncertainty, or if you have a guest idea on the topic, let us know. Drop us a line at c+p digital.
And as always, sweet dreams…well, hopefully!
