Powered by Instinct

Kolbe Corp annually honors the organizations that display exceptional creativity and leadership when it comes to the use of conation and Kolbe Wisdom™. The award honoring organizational leadership in building conative excellence, called the Kolbe Enterprise Award, is our way of signaling that a strengths-based business is doing incredible work using their knowledge of instinctive strengths and application of that knowledge. 

In this episode of Powered by Instinct, host Toby Phillips engages with Kolbe Certified™ Consultants representing two of the finalists for the Kolbe Enterprise Award and dives into the integration of the Kolbe System™ within their organizations. The episode features insightful conversations with Shara Wokal and Clare Willson from Riff Creative, along with Hillary Snyder from Riverstone Communities. They all discuss their experiences and strategies in implementing the Kolbe principles for organizational development and team building, the impact Kolbe has had within throughout their organization and for their clients, and where they see their future with Kolbe. 

If you’re interested in learning what Kolbe can do for your organization and how you can be a part of it, this episode is an invaluable resource with a ton of practical ideas to help take your business to the next level. 

Host: Toby Phillips (7464)

Guest-at-a-Glance 

💡 Guests: Shara Wokal (8771); Clare Willson (9234); Hillary Snyder (7634)

💡Companies: Riff_; Riverstone Communities 

💡Noteworthy: Shara Wokal: Chief Financial Officer and Chief HR Officer at Riff Creative; 

Clare Willson: Executive Coach and Team Strategist at Riff Creative; Hillary Snyder: Chief Human Resources Officer at Riverstone Communities, Kolbe Certified Consultant since 2019. 

💡Where to find: Shara: LinkedIn; Clare: LinkedIn; Hillary: LinkedIn  

Embracing Team Diversity Through Kolbe Wisdom™: 

Organizations use the Kolbe System™ to embrace and leverage the diverse strengths within a team. Clare Willson speaks about Riff Creative's journey with Kolbe, emphasizing how Kolbe Wisdom has been integral to building their team and company culture. This approach has enabled them to appreciate varied problem-solving methods and foster a deep respect for each team member's unique contributions. The insight here is the value of understanding and utilizing diverse talents within a team for enhanced collaboration and productivity. 

Kolbe's Role in Building Trust and Mutual Respect: 

 Trivial incidents, like a misplaced bottle of Windex, can be opportunities to build trust and mutual respect in a team. Shara Wokal shares an anecdote about how such an incident led to a better understanding of team dynamics and preferences. This example underlines how seemingly minor events can reinforce team cohesion and understanding when viewed through the lens of Kolbe's principles. It shows the importance of nurturing a team culture that values every member's perspective and approach to problem-solving. 

Operational Efficiency Through Understanding Team Dynamics: 

 Hillary Snyder discusses how Kolbe has been instrumental in improving operational efficiency. By fostering a deeper understanding of team dynamics, Kolbe has enabled them to handle challenges more effectively and maintain a high level of customer service. This insight underscores the tangible bottom-line benefits of implementing Kolbe methodologies, such as increased productivity and efficiency in team operati

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Find the freedom to be yourself by taking the Kolbe A™ Index or Kolbe Y™ Index for the youth in your life. Many successful companies work directly with a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant — find one in your area.

Action Starters are a series of shorts from the Powered by Instinct podcast. These are bite-sized clips with easily accessible knowledge for you to enjoy.

This clip comes from David Kolbe’s interview with EOS® Worldwide Visionary Mark O’Donnell back in season 1.

It’s a great recap on why Kolbe and EOS work so well together, and delivers insight into how you can incorporate both into your company culture.

"Kolbe helps you make a big leap in team health in less than an hour’s worth of time.” – Mark O’Donnell

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Find the freedom to be yourself by taking the Kolbe A™ Index or Kolbe Y™ Index for the youth in your life. Many successful companies work directly with a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant — find one in your area.

Every year, Kolbe Corp honors the individuals who display exceptional creativity and leadership when it comes to the use of conation and Kolbe Wisdom™. The award honoring individual leadership in building conative excellence, called the Kolbe Professional Award, is always hotly contested due to the wealth of incredible Kolbe Certified™ Consultants doing incredible work. 

In this episode of Powered by Instinct, host Toby Phillips engages with the three finalists for the Kolbe Professional Award. Sarah Gillet Couto shares her transformative journey from banking to coaching, highlighting how Kolbe's theory reshaped her career and personal understanding. 

Morgan Hutchings and Shawn Gulyas contribute their expertise, discussing the impact of conative theory in team productivity and leadership. They dive into the nuances of conative stress and its management, offering insights into workplace dynamics and personal growth. 

Listeners will gain a deeper appreciation for the Kolbe theory's practical applications, as each guest reveals how it empowers individuals and teams to harness their innate strengths while sharing the insights that got them recognized for their excellence. This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone looking to enhance their work with Kolbe, as well as for those who just want to learn more about the power of understanding their instincts.


Host: Toby Phillips (7464)

💡 Guests: Sarah Gillet Couto (4565); Morgan Hutchings (9425); Shawn Gulyas (5482)

💡 What they do: Multi Lingual Leadership & Communication Expert, Executive Coach | Senior Consultant | Founder & The Thought Catalyst 

💡 Companies: Sarah Gillet Couto Consulting | AuDExperts | humanworks8 

💡 Noteworthy: Sarah Gillet Couto: Executive coach, former banker, passionate about Kolbe's transformative power. / Morgan Hutchings: Expert in team efficiency, advocate for productivity through conative understanding. / Shawn Gulyas: Leadership consultant, focuses on building conative excellence in organizations. 

💡 Where to find them: Learn more from our blog: https://www.kolbe.com/blog/2023-conative-excellence-awards-finalists-announced 

Innovative Hiring Practices with Morgan Hutchings 

Timestamp: [00:19:44]  

Morgan Hutchings discusses the unique hiring process implemented at AuDExperts. He emphasizes the importance of aligning candidates with the company's core values and communication preferences from the onset. This process includes a voicemail introduction, a virtual interview, and a Kolbe A index assessment to ensure candidates are a good fit for the team and the company culture.  

Sarah Gillet Couto on Conative Stress and Team Dynamics 

Timestamp: [00:08:37] 

Sarah Gillet Couto shares an insightful case where conative stress was affecting a team undergoing significant changes. She recounts a conversation with a director of operations who was experiencing stress due to a role that did not align with her natural instincts.  

"We had this very interesting conversation yesterday... She said, I'm so happy we're having this session with the entire team together because I want you to use my stress to address what is going on within the group." 

Shawn Gulyas on the Essence of Consulting 

Timestamp: [00:31:53] 

Shawn Gulyas provides his perspective on the essence of consulting. He advises new consultants to immerse themselves in the theory they are teaching and to understand the broader implications beyond assessm

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Find the freedom to be yourself by taking the Kolbe A™ Index or Kolbe Y™ Index for the youth in your life. Many successful companies work directly with a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant — find one in your area.

In this special episode of Powered by Instinct, we bring you a webinar from EOS Worldwide’s Strong in Six™ Business Challenge. As part of People Week, Kolbe Corp President Amy Bruske was asked to speak on how to master the People Component™ of your business.

The result is “The Easy Button for Team Health,” a candid discussion on how to make your most pressing people decisions easier to handle. You'll discover the secret to making the biggest impact on team performance in the quickest amount of time, get a better understanding of the Kolbe System™ and how you can apply it to yourself and your business, and so much more. (There’s a substantial Q&A with Amy and Kolbe VP of Sales Eric Herrera near the end of the session.)

Interested in the easy button for team health? Just press play on this episode!

Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Amy Bruske (3583)

💡 What she does: President

💡 Company: Kolbe Corp

💡 Noteworthy: This episode was originally a webinar for People Week as part of the EOS Strong in Six™ Business Challenge.

💡Where to find Amy: LinkedIn 

Unlocking Personal Potential through Kolbe Assessments

Amy Bruske emphasizes the importance of understanding individual strengths using the Kolbe assessment. 

"What we're focused on today and what Kolbe has found is that there is one factor that is most tied to performance for individuals and for teams. If you could focus on this, it's the secret to unlocking the potential of the people in your business. It's going to make your most important relationships easier. It's going to make your own productivity that much easier and less stressful."

Tailoring Job Roles with Kolbe Assessments

Amy Bruske and Eric Herrera discuss how Kolbe assessments can be applied in the hiring process. They highlight the importance of assessing compatibility between job roles and individual strengths. Amy mentions that job descriptions can be created or modified based on Kolbe results, ensuring a better fit between the role and the candidate. They stress that even for roles that may seem to require specific traits, individual preferences and organizational growth stage should be considered.

"You don't need a job description, you just need a clear understanding of what success looks like in that role."

Kolbe vs. Other Assessments: Complementary Insights

Amy and Eric address the question of how Kolbe assessments compare to other assessments like DiSC. They explain that Kolbe focuses on how individuals naturally take action and problem-solve, while other assessments may reveal preferences. Eric emphasizes the value of using both Kolbe and other assessments to gain a more comprehensive understanding of team dynamics. 

"In the ideal world, honestly, use both because you get to understand different dimensions of a person."

Nurturing Children's Strengths with Kolbe

Amy discusses the applicability of Kolbe assessments in parenting and education. She suggests that understanding children's natural strengths can help tailor educational approaches to their unique learning styles. Amy also acknowledges that school systems may not always align with a child's strengths and encourages parents to validate their children's unique qualities. She emphasizes the importance of helping children find their strengths early, which can lead to better self-awareness and personal growth.

"We need to validate with our kids that they have these unique strengths and help them figure that out."

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Find the freedom to be yourself by taking the Kolbe A™ Index or Kolbe Y™ Index for the youth in your life. Many successful companies work directly with a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant — find one in your area.

Action Starters are a series of shorts from the Powered by Instinct podcast. These are bite-sized clips with easily accessible knowledge for you to enjoy.

This clip comes to us from Season 1, Episode 3, when Kolbe Corp CEO David Kolbe sat down with Jessica Mogill of Crisp.

In this short clip, they discuss why using Kolbe in hiring is a non-negotiable for Crisp, one great mindset to have when using Kolbe to hire, and a specific time where using Kolbe helped a member of the Crisp team become the right person in the right role.

"Hiring with Kolbe is a bottom line non-negotiable. Why would you not use this?” – Jesicca Mogill

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Find the freedom to be yourself by taking the Kolbe A™ Index or Kolbe Y™ Index for the youth in your life. Many successful companies work directly with a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant — find one in your area.

How do you travel for 17 days across 16 states with your family of 4 in a cramped vehicle and live to tell the tale? 

If you’re Tashyna Wingo, Director of Operations at Kolbe Corp, you survive by understanding and accounting for everyone’s instinctive needs! 

In this episode, Tashyna recounts her 5,800 mile long “great American family road trip” in a conversation with Nicole Loucks, VP of Youth & Education Programs at Kolbe. They delve into the dynamics of a family road trip, highlighting the unique ways each family member's instinctive strengths played out during the journey and how Tashyna managed to navigate those strengths and keep everyone happy. They also cover some Kolbe resources and ideas that are helpful for families in general. 

If you’re looking for insights into how to better support the loved ones in your life (and who isn’t), this is the Powered by Instinct episode for you! 

 
Host: Nicole Loucks (5824)

Guest-at-a-Glance 

💡 Name: Tashyna Wingo (8543)

💡What they do: Director of Operations 

💡Company: Kolbe Corp 

💡Noteworthy: Orchestrated a cross-country family road trip, hitting 16 states, and used knowledge of Kolbe Strengths™ to make sure everyone’s needs were met 

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn 

Understanding Children's Strengths in Education 

Nicole highlights the Student Aptitude Quiz, a conative assessment tailored for kids. This tool helps children understand their strengths and how to leverage them in areas they're passionate about, such as excelling in school. Tashyna shares her personal experience, noting how an online, self-paced environment allowed her daughter Madeline to thrive, given her unique approach to problem-solving. 

 
Empowering Teachers with Kolbe Insights 

Tashyna reveals that she encourages her son's teachers to take the Kolbe Index every year. This initiative helps educators understand their unique strengths and how they approach problem-solving. By sharing these insights, Tashyna aims to foster a more supportive and understanding educational environment for her son and his peers. 

Challenges and Disagreements on the Road 

Nicole probes Tashyna about the challenges and disagreements they faced during the road trip. Tashyna shares some light-hearted moments, like siblings' squabbles in the backseat. She also mentions a recurring point of contention with her husband, Tom, about how they measured travel progress: hours vs. miles. 

"I'd say probably the only disagreements that Tom and I had, and it took me a little too long to get with the program, but he'd ask me how, like going from location to location, you know, what are we looking at? And so I would say it's two and a half hours. And he's like, ‘I don't care about the hours. I wanna know how many miles…"  - Tashyna

Empowering Students with Kolbe Insights 

The conversation shifts to the importance of understanding students' natural strengths. Nicole recalls how Henry actively participated during a Strengths Week project at school. Tashyna emphasizes the value of the Student Aptitude Quiz and how it has benefited her children. 

"And I have to say, when we went into the school and did that Strengths Week project, Henry was our helper with physical materials. He was passing things out; he was carrying things; he was doing all sorts of stuff." 

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Find the freedom to be yourself by taking the Kolbe A™ Index or Kolbe Y™ Index for the youth in your life. Many successful companies work directly with a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant — find one in your area.

"My passion is opening lines of communication in a broken and hurting world, and that's where I see Kolbe as being so powerful." – Mari Martin 

In this episode of Powered by Instinct, Amy Bruske is joined by Mari Martin, “The Mother of Kolbe in West Michigan.”  Mari brings the type of insight you can only get from a dedicated Kolbe Certified™ Consultant for over 30 years. 

Mari shares how her MO, and her knowledge, has been instrumental in both her career and her personal life, through the good times and the bad. She covers how she used Kolbe as a foundation to build a successful practice, and how she then used that expertise to help her navigate her biggest challenge yet — her husband’s stage 4 throat cancer diagnosis in 2013. (To learn more about their incredible journey together, check out Come Home Alive: The Power of Knowing how to Work Together to Make it Through the Crisis of Cancer.)  

Whether you’re a Kolbe Consultant who wants to change the world (Mari shares her 3 big pieces of advice for you) or just someone interested in an assessment that Mari describes as “practical, predictive, and prescriptive,” this episode is a must-listen.


Host: Amy Bruske (3583)

Guest-at-a-Glance 

💡 Name: Mari Martin (4294)

💡 What she does: President 

💡Company: Performance Strategies Group, Inc. 

💡Noteworthy: Mari started in communications consulting, discovered Kolbe in the Wall Street Journal, and built her own company around it. 

💡Where to find Mari: LinkedIn 

The Power of Kolbe in Personal Crises 

Mari Martin discusses the transformative power of the Kolbe approach during personal health crises. She emphasizes the importance of understanding one's mental energy and how it's expended, especially during challenging times. By being aware of one's natural instincts and how they play out in various environments, individuals can make informed decisions and navigate adversity with greater resilience. Mari's personal journey and her conscious decision to avoid being "Dr. Google" showcases the significance of using Kolbe to respond effectively to life's challenges. 

"I'm not saying that Kolbe is the answer. But what I am saying is that we have to interface with our environment, and understand how our natural instincts play out in that environment.” – Mari Martin 

Understanding Job Dynamics and Crafting Roles 

Mari highlights the importance of understanding the dynamics within job roles. By recognizing the demands of a job and comparing them to one's natural instincts, individuals can identify gaps and potential stress points. Mari's personal experience of identifying a gap in her Fact Finder trait and subsequently crafting her role to minimize stress serves as a testament to the adaptability and flexibility offered by the Kolbe approach. The emphasis is on building around strengths and crafting roles to align with one's natural instincts. 

 
Kolbe's Role in Practical Application of Strengths 

Mari contrasts the Kolbe approach with other tools like StrengthsFinder. While StrengthsFinder identifies strength themes, Kolbe provides insights into how to practically apply these strengths. For instance, Mari's theme of "responsibility" from StrengthsFinder is given context with her Kolbe score, helping her understand how to manage her responsibilities effectively. The conversation underscores the value of Kolbe in providing actionable insights and guiding individuals on how to harness their strengths in real-world scenarios. 

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Find the freedom to be yourself by taking the Kolbe A™ Index or Kolbe Y™ Index for the youth in your life. Many successful companies work directly with a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant — find one in your area.

Getting a Kolbe A™ Index for everybody on the team is a great first step towards building a strengths-based culture. But, building a sustainable culture where people feel valued and have the freedom to be themselves doesn't happen overnight.   

In this episode of Powered by Instinct, host Stephanie Clergé and guest Shara Wokal, CFO/CHRO of Riff Agency, dive into the world of Kolbe and discuss how Riff Agency integrates Kolbe into their hiring, onboarding, and team-building processes. Shara emphasizes the importance of consistency and intentionality in infusing Kolbe into the company culture and gives tips and insights into how others can do the same. 

Listen in to gain insights into how understanding natural instincts positively impact work and communication, and how to leverage Kolbe to create a more harmonious and productive work environment. 

 
Host: Stephanie Clergé (8363)

Guest-at-a-Glance 

💡 Name: Shara Wokal (8771)

💡What they do: CFO/CHRO 

💡Company: Riff Agency 

💡Noteworthy: Integrates Kolbe into hiring and team-building, emphasizes consistency in company culture. 

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn 

 
 Key Insights:

Integrating Kolbe into Hiring and Onboarding 

Shara Wokal discusses how Riff Agency uses Kolbe, a tool that identifies natural instincts, in their hiring, onboarding, and team-building processes. They utilize various Kolbe features like RightFit™ to understand new hires and their teammates. Weekly team meetings often include discussions about Kolbe, sharing stories and insights. Shara emphasizes the importance of consistency in integrating Kolbe into the company culture, allowing employees to be more free to be themselves and communicate openly. This approach fosters a positive impact on work and collaboration. 

Designing Work Environments to Support Individual Instincts 

The episode explores how Riff Agency designs physical work environments to align with individual instincts. Shara shares examples like having access to windows for those who initiate in Implementor or using tangible tools like mind menus and hierarchy pyramids. The physical environment is tailored to support employees' natural ways of working, enhancing productivity and satisfaction. This insight offers a unique perspective on how understanding natural instincts can be applied to the physical workspace. 

Promoting Gratitude and Recognition in the Workplace 

Shara reveals that Riff Agency starts every meeting by talking about gratitude wins, creating space for people to share personal and professional excitements. They also encourage gratitude and cheers among team members through various mediums, both in software and tangible forms. This practice fosters a positive workplace culture, emphasizing recognition and appreciation. It's a noteworthy insight into how simple practices can build a more supportive and engaged team environment. 

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Find the freedom to be yourself by taking the Kolbe A™ Index or Kolbe Y™ Index for the youth in your life. Many successful companies work directly with a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant — find one in your area.

Action Starters are a series of shorts from the Powered by Instinct podcast. These are bite-sized clips with easily accessible knowledge for you to enjoy.

This clip is an important one for understanding the basics of how Kolbe can work for you.

It’s the 4 components of the Kolbe System in under 4 minutes.

Not only does Kolbe Corp President Amy Bruske break down how you can use Kolbe to identify, align, optimize and expand, but you’ll also learn of some innovative approaches to using Kolbe from Stephanie Clergé, Kolbe’s VP of People and Product Development.

"What makes Kolbe different than a lot of assessments out there is that it’s a complete system."  - Amy Bruske

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Find the freedom to be yourself by taking the Kolbe A™ Index or Kolbe Y™ Index for the youth in your life. Many successful companies work directly with a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant — find one in your area.

Action Starters are a series of shorts from the Powered by Instinct podcast. These are bite-sized clips with easily accessible knowledge for you to enjoy.

This clip comes from the first season of Powered by Instinct, when Stephanie Clergé and Eric Herrera discussed an important step in understanding your instinctive strengths:

Comparing your Kolbe result with others.

Listen to Stephanie and Eric discuss the power being understanding the strengths of others and learn how you can use that information to improve your productivity and your ability to collaborate.

"We need those differing talents. Understand all of those around you in your world, and your world will become that much better."  - Eric Herrera

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Find the freedom to be yourself by taking the Kolbe A™ Index or Kolbe Y™ Index for the youth in your life. Many successful companies work directly with a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant — find one in your area.