Powered by Instinct

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 very first episode of Powered by Instinct, where we asked acclaimed theorist and founder of Kolbe Corp, Kathy Kolbe, a very important question:

What separates successful teams from teams that struggle?

Kathy shared a story about how she was able to identify which of three teams within a corporation was the most effective, simply by looking at their Kolbe results.

"You need a diversity of problem-solving in order to have a successful team.  I think what's brilliant is to be able to measure the strengths of individuals, but then plot them in a team and to figure out who should be collaborating together. And then, as a leader, to anticipate where your team's gonna struggle."  - Kathy Kolbe

***
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.

When you’re looking to find the right fit for your team, especially at the executive level, you need to get it right the first time. 

In this episode of Powered by Instinct, host Eric Herrera from Kolbe is joined by someone who knows how to get it right: Samir Wagle, Founder and Managing Partner of 11:11 Partners.  

Samir shares his experiences and strategies for building high-performing teams, aligning personal passions with professional performance, and the integral role Kolbe plays in their recruitment and team development processes. 

Samir talks about Kolbe’s role in identifying the ideal profiles for various roles and allowing clients to build stronger, more cohesive teams. He emphasizes the importance of “aligning your insides and your outsides” in finding a fulfilling career. In addition, Eric and Samir discuss hiring and recruiting trends, common mistakes to avoid, and why the most important thing you can do in an executive interview is make someone feel seen.  


Host: Eric Herrera (5392)

Guest-at-a-Glance 

💡 Name: Samir Wagle (6582)

💡What they do: Founder 

💡Company: 11:11 Partners 

💡Noteworthy: Samir specializes in building high-performing teams. 

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn 

The Role of Trust in Team Building  

Samir emphasizes the importance of trust in building strong and successful teams. He explains how they use Kolbe assessments to better understand team members and foster trust within the team. By having a deep understanding of everyone's strengths and weaknesses, team members can trust and rely on each other more effectively. This leads to improved communication, collaboration, and overall team performance. 

"I think the biggest thing is trust. When you have the understanding of the strengths of people, you can really start to rely on those people, and you can really understand how they communicate," said Samir. 

Integrating Kolbe Assessments Into Leadership Development  

Samir shares how 11:11 Partners integrate Kolbe assessments into their leadership development programs. They use the assessments to help leaders better understand their strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of their team members. This deeper understanding allows leaders to make more informed decisions, delegate tasks more effectively, and ultimately build stronger teams. 

Utilizing Kolbe Assessments for Personal Growth  

Samir discusses the value of using Kolbe assessments for personal growth and self-awareness. The assessments can help individuals recognize their strengths and areas for improvement, providing valuable insights for personal and professional development. By understanding their unique profile, individuals can make more informed decisions about their careers and life choices. 

"It's [Kolbe assessments] also been really helpful for me personally — as I continue to grow as a leader — to understand my strengths and work on my development areas." 

The Significance of Accurate Role Fit  

Samir discusses the importance of accurate role fit for employee satisfaction and success. By identifying the ideal Kolbe profile for a specific role, organizations can ensure that individuals are well-suited to their positions, leading to increased job satisfaction and productivity. This approach can help companies scale their businesses more effectively and efficiently. 

"We started to get really clear on, for the different roles of our organization, what the Kolbe profile of that position is. Like the people that will really thrive there and enjoy the work." 

***
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.

“The day I got my Kolbe profile back was one of the most liberating days of my life.” – Dan Sullivan, Co-Founder of Strategic Coach 

In this special episode of Powered by Instinct, host David Kolbe sits down with renowned entrepreneur and coach, Dan Sullivan, to discuss the impact of Kolbe on personal and professional growth.  

Dan shares his experiences with the transformative power of the Kolbe A™Index, highlighting its ability to identify an individual's innate strengths and guide them towards the right opportunities. He emphasizes the many benefits Kolbe has offered the entrepreneurs he helps, how it fosters a more collaborative and effective environment by aligning individuals with their areas of strength, and why Kolbe is the “anchor profile” for Strategic Coach. 

Dan reflects on his coaching career and the importance of understanding clients' Kolbe profiles to tailor workshops and facilitate better communication. He shares how essential Kolbe is for hiring effectively, and how Kolbe has not only enhanced his coaching sessions but also transformed the lives of countless individuals by unlocking their true potential. 

 
Host: David Kolbe (8-2-7-3)

Guest-at-a-Glance 

💡 Name: Dan Sullivan (2-2-10-4)

💡What they do: Entrepreneur and Coach 

💡Company: Strategic Coach 

💡Noteworthy: Pioneered innovative coaching methodologies for entrepreneurs and business leaders. 

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn 

The Significance of Kolbe A Index in Identifying Strengths and Best Fit. Dan discusses how the Kolbe A Index has transformed the way companies identify individual strengths and best-fit positions for their employees. He credits Kathy Kolbe for developing this unique profiling system that provides valuable insights into employees' natural working styles, allowing for better alignment with roles that capitalize on their strengths and ultimately lead to greater success and satisfaction. 

Adapting Coaching Techniques to Different Kolbe Profiles. Dan shares his experience in coaching and how the Kolbe Wisdom has informed his approach to working with different clients. He explains that by understanding the Kolbe scores of his clients, he can tailor his coaching techniques to better suit their individual needs, resulting in more effective communication and understanding. This personalized approach enables Dan to better engage and support his clients in their personal and professional development. 

Additional Quotes 

1. [01:06:00] Dan Sullivan: "Kathy Kolbe went entrepreneur because it didn't answer a question and she created the thing that answers the question. Where's the strength of this person and where's the best place to fit in?" 
2. [01:07:00] Dan Sullivan: "Podcasting falls directly in the center of where my Kolbe strengths are. I love it. Yes. As long as I don't have to prepare." 
3. [01:09:00] Dan Sullivan: "The first thing I do when I walk in the room, I want to see their Kolbe, I want to see the Kolbe profiles. And there's a critical mass." 

***
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.

If you’re interested in becoming a coach, taking your consulting to the next level, becoming the Kolbe expert in your organization, or just learning everything you can about how individuals and teams naturally operate to the best of their abilities, this is a can’t miss conversation. 

Why should you be a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant?: The answers are too numerous and varied to share in one podcast episode, but Amy Bruske and Stephanie Clergé do their best to hit as many highlights as possible in this informative and engaging episode. 

Learn about Stephanie’s path from an ultimately unfulfilling career to an incredible coach, how she discovered Kolbe as the missing solution to client needs, and all the lessons she’s learned on the way to becoming a Kolbe Expert and indispensable part of the Kolbe Corp team. 

Amy and Stephanie delve into the power of the Kolbe System™ and what it offers Kolbe Consultants. They also discuss innovative ways they’ve seen Kolbe Consultants impact the business world and individual clients alike, and how Kolbe's continuous education and on-demand learning resources provide consultants with the tools to support their clients on a deeper level.  


Host: Amy Bruske (3583)

Guest-at-a-Glance 

💡 Name: Stephanie Clergé (8363)

💡What they do: VP of People and Product Development 

💡Company: Kolbe Corp. 

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn 

Key Insights:

Kolbe Can Help You Grow Your Business 

 
Kolbe Certification is a gamechanger for a wide variety of coaches and consultants, no matter your goal. The program offers actionable advice on and sustainable resources for building a practice, getting clients, integrating Kolbe with your current offer, and much more. 

Kolbe Consulting Offers Community 

 
Resources and support are provided to Kolbe Consultants through the Certified Consultant Center (CCC). Consultants are given access to expert insights, continuing education, and tips and ideas from other members of the consultant community. 

The Kolbe System: A Complete Suite for Success 

 
In this episode, we dive into the simplicity and effectiveness of the Kolbe System for consultants. Starting with identifying individual strengths, the system aids collaboration with strategies for teamwork and alignment, ensuring that everyone's in a position to succeed. For hiring and expanding the team, it offers an objective solution. Regardless of the team or organization type, the Kolbe System can be tailored to fit any client needs, enhancing productivity and harmony. 

Innovative Applications of Kolbe with Stephanie Clergé 
 

Stephanie shares some innovative ways of implementing the Kolbe System. Whether it's infusing a new culture, creating high-performing teams, or facilitating smooth change management, Kolbe provides valuable insights and strategies. Through understanding and leveraging individuals' unique strengths, organizations can better navigate change and foster a more harmonious, productive work environment. 

***
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.

Are you an assessment aficionado? Think you’ve tried them all? This week’s episode of Powered by Instinct is a helpful way to learn how Kolbe is different. 

Kolbe helps you understand the ways you naturally take action and interact with others. But unlike many assessments, Kolbe is particularly suitable for work environments and can be used at various stages, from hiring to alignment within an organization. That said, understanding your instinctive strengths is a game changer in every relationship, whether professional or personal. 

In this episode of Powered by Instinct, Elizabeth Cook, a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant and Founder of Elizabeth Cook Consulting, LLC, joins our host Eric Herrera to discuss her first encounter with Kolbe, what changed once she took it, how she decided to become a consultant, the process behind it, and how she uses Kolbe with her clients. Also, you’ll definitely want to stay tuned for her theory on parents having a “favorite” child. 


Host: Eric Herrera (5392)

Guest-at-a-Glance 

Name: Elizabeth Cook (8633)

What she does: Elizabeth is a career and leadership coach. 

Company: Elizabeth Cook Consulting, LLC 

Noteworthy: Elizabeth is also a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant. 

Where to find Elizabeth: LinkedIn  

🎙️Kolbe enables you to look at things through other people's lenses, especially in the work environment, leading to better interpersonal relations, understanding, and collaboration. However, Kolbe also helps elevate personal relationships. Take Elizabeth as an example. She is the mother of three. Although her daughters are adults, two of them always felt that the third sister is their parents’ favorite. Elizabeth and her husband fought against that, but it was not until they all did the assessment that they understood that the daughter considered the favorite had a similar MO to her parents, as opposed to the other two sisters, which led to an unconscious bias. ''I suppose we were biased towards her approach because that made sense to us, for both of us. That's how we approached it, and that's how she did. So, of course, we were rational; it made sense. It seemed like she was moving in the right direction. Whereas the other two were more frustrated. So it helped me understand. That constantly comes up — even though now I've had that knowledge and have been working with it — that constantly comes up in conversations with them in terms of trying to guide them or when they're asking me for advice, to think about it through their lens and not my own.'' 

🎙️Even if you are successful in your current role, it doesn't mean you are happy doing it or consider it your calling. That's where instinctive strengths come into play, helping you see, acknowledge, and embrace your instincts. So, whether you stay in the same role or change it, you'll deliver better results, as you and the people around you will understand and encourage your MO. ''They have a chance to — especially with everything happening in the world of work right now — take a broader view of how they view their work. And what they want from their work is looking at this bigger picture of how I can thrive and contribute at my best and not dread it every day.'' 

🎙️Not all entrepreneurs have the same MO. So contrary to the common misconception or concerns among entrepreneurs who take Kolbe, one-size-fits-all doesn't exist.  Again, Elizabeth is a great example. ''Sometimes people think that you have to initiate in Quick Start to be an entrepreneur, and that's not what I've seen at all. It's going to look different, for sure. It's not for me, the way you would build a business; my way would be different.'' 

***
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.

When you’re allowed to be yourself and play to your natural strengths, the difference you feel is astounding. This is true even for those who have found success otherwise. Take Hutton Henry for example.  

He didn’t feel comfortable in school. He didn’t fit in the corporate world. That didn’t mean he didn’t meet benchmarks or find himself achieving, it just meant he couldn’t be everything he wanted to be.  

Now, Hutton is the CEO and Founder of his own business, Beyond M&A, and the author of two books: People First and Diversity of Action. He is finally thriving, and he’s using the knowledge he gained from his personal journey to empower others. 

Hutton uses a practice called technology due diligence. The goal is to place the people who build tech solutions first and show investors the value behind such teams. Kolbe is part of the process, and in this episode, Hutton shares how taking the Kolbe assessment changed his and his clients’ business perspective and how he helps others use their strengths to reach their full potential. 

 
Host: David Kolbe (8273)

Guest-at-a-Glance 

 Name: Hutton Henry (2295)

What he does: Hutton is the CEO and founder of Beyond M&A.  

Company: Beyond M&A 

Noteworthy: Hutton works with VC, private equity, and corporate investors, assessing tech teams on their behalf. The practice is called technology due diligence.  

Where to find Hutton: LinkedIn 

🎙️You may still be on the path to discovering your strengths, and Kolbe can help guide you toward your true self by understanding why you acted a certain way in the past and determining your natural way of engaging in professional and personal interactions. ''I always thought I wasn't doing well at school because I'd had a weird upbringing, and no one was watching. So I was being quite delinquent at school. But what I got from the Kobe result is that I don't need that type of very structured academia. So it changed my story from somebody who could not do something because of a disadvantage in education to this quite suited me; I just didn't realize that. So you could have given me the best school in the world, and I still would've done the same,'' shares Hutton. 

🎙️ People Over Technology and How Kolbe Helps Teams Embrace Individual Strengths 

''The technology is the tangible output, and that's the thing that you can track and measure. But if we don't look after the teams, you will find that they start to worry. And there are so many things that can happen in an M&A transaction.  

Our investors are people-focused, and they want to look after. So, it's a relationship in the first place to agree to be invested in or acquired. And so, both parties want to relate with each other. 

So we have a pre-deal position and help companies after the deal has been completed. We will run Kolbe assessments before a deal for certain investors who are open to this and where it's appropriate to the deal. So everyone will look at the sensitivity of what's going to happen and say, ‘Well, you know what? It would be interesting to know what that is.’ 

I'm looking for a couple of factors. Number one is innovation. That's what investors are looking for. They tend to buy something that's working well and want to scale. The other piece is systemization. So that's the Follow Thru aspect. 

So if we can look at an entire team and say to them with data, ‘You're strong at this, and that's how we can create extra value,’ it's a wonderful place to be. So it's not pointing fingers or personal; it's looking at the team as a whole.'' 

***
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.

When Angelique Rewers read her Kolbe results, she cried.  

Finally, she had been seen for what she can do, not what needed to be fixed. Now, as the CEO of BoldHaus, with Executive VP Phil Dyer by her side, Angelique uses Kolbe to ensure ALL of her clients are seen as who they truly are. 

The results, like their business, have been bold. 

Join Angelique, Phil, and Kolbe Corp CEO David Kolbe as we kick off season 3 with a bang. In this episode, the BoldHaus duo share the story behind BoldHaus and the role of Kolbe in the company's rebranding. They also recapitulate their first encounter with Kolbe and how it helped them build a team and grow as leaders, and how Kolbe has helped them provide high-quality service to their clients, while maybe even saving a few marriages! 


Host: David Kolbe (8273)

Guest-at-a-Glance 

Name: Angelique Rewers (6392) and Phil Dyer (5393)

What they do: Angelique is the CEO, and Phil is the executive VP at BoldHaus.  

Company: BoldHaus 

Noteworthy: Angelique and Phil use Kolbe internally and externally, helping clients build solid teams and grow as leaders.  

Where to find them: Angelique: LinkedIn; Phil: LinkedIn  

Podcast Insights 

🎙️One size fits all doesn’t exist — even for companies operating in the same industry. You need to be able to understand your clients. What's more, teams consist of individuals of different strengths, led by leaders with unique superpowers. The growth starts when they are aware of those and know where the change is necessary, whether within a team or processes. Companies like BoldHaus can assist you in this process. ''When we look at our client retention rate, when we look at the success rate of our clients compared to the industry averages, there's no question that us being able to get inside their brain and see how they're going to operate and take action instinctively allows us to be a better trainer, a better coach, a better consultant, a better advisor to them. We are clear with people. So whenever we walk into a strategy with a client, for example, we're like, 'Look, this is how we're built, and this is how you are built. And so, a couple of times you might see how we've done something, but that doesn't mean you have to do it that way.' So we're always reinforcing their freedom to be themselves,'' says Angelique. 

️Kolbe helps create relationship bliss.  Given the benefits, Kolbe brings to relationships in the business arena, it doesn't surprise why many move it to the private sphere. ''I'm 5-3-9-3, married to 7-7-3-3. So we have two action modes where there are significant — Follow Thru and Quick Start — where there is significant potential for conflict. [...] There were a lot of times when my wife was getting frustrated with some things. And the nice thing is understanding the Kolbe and having that seven-page blueprint on how to operate effectively together, whether in business or life, is super helpful. [...] The little tweaks can make massive differences in removing conflict and potential from conflict, from all types of relationships, whether it's boss to employee, team member to team member or spouse to spouse or spouse to adult children,'' explains Phil.  

***
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.

The Kolbe A™ Index is the only assessment that measure how you instinctively take action. When find out your MO and first see your 4 numbers and colorful bar chart, it’s normal to focus almost entirely on that result. But there's so much more to it.  

In this episode of Powered by Instinct, Kolbe Corp’s Stephanie Clergé and Eric Herrera go through their Kolbe A Index results and customized 18-page report, discussing tips, insights, and resources available throughout. It’s a great resource to learn more about your instinctive strengths and how to utilize them. So join us as we break down the many benefits available in your Kolbe A Index report. 

Guests-at-a-Glance 

💡 Names: Stephanie Clergé (8363) and Eric Herrera (5392)

💡 What they do: Stephanie is Kolbe's VP of Training & Consulting and Eric is Kolbe’s VP of Sales. 

💡 Company: Kolbe Corp 

💡 Noteworthy: Stephanie is an 8363 and Eric is a 5392. 

💡 Where to find Stephanie and Eric: Stephanie’s Linkedin and Eric’s Linkedin 

Podcast Insights 

⚡The Kolbe A Index helps you define and embrace your strengths. It gives you a unique perspective on what you can bring to the table and helps you get to know yourself better. ''The Kolbe A is going to tell us all about our striving instincts.  It's not about how smart you are or the skills that you have. It's not about your personality, what motivates you, or whether you're an introvert or an extrovert. But what the Kolbe A Index measures are what we call your striving instincts. And so, this is how you naturally solve problems, make decisions, and take action. But specifically, it's about how you take action when you're free to be yourself.'' 

⚡After you take the Kolbe A, you get a customized report full of tips and tricks. The report contains multiple pages that include suggestions on how to use your strengths, audio explanations, ways to maximize your energy, career advice, and much more. “Make sure you go back to listen to the online version of your Kolbe A results because Kathy's going to add some additional tips, give you some additional insight into your specific four number result there. And then again, if you've read your Kolbe A result, but it was a couple of years ago, a couple of months ago, go back through. The more you read it, the more that you learn more about yourself and the more you pick up additional things.'' 

⚡Dos and Don'ts put a light on what should be your focus area. However, we often waste a lot of time and energy on tasks and activities that we are not good at for a good reason — our approaches differ from what is expected in a given situation. Therefore, taking an assessment such as Kolbe makes it easier for everyone to develop working models resulting in efficiency. ''The dos and don'ts are part of what makes it actionable for people. People get confused with the dos and don'ts. The dos are what you would naturally do if free to be yourself, and the don'ts are what you would not naturally do. So a lot of times, people look at the don'ts list, and they're like, 'Well, wait a second. Do I do these, or do I not do these?''' 

***
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.

Gallup’s employee engagement survey is out, and the numbers are down again. Less than 1/3 of American workers are actively engaged, and 18% are actively DISENGAGED. 

More and more individuals are either quietly quitting their job or worse. Fortunately, there’s a missing link to engagement that can help both companies and employees find a better path forward. 

In this episode of Powered by Instinct, David Kolbe and Amy Bruske, react to the Gallup poll and offer their insights. They discuss: 

• The downward trend of employee disengagement 
• Why leaders are in pain, too 
• The biggest reasons for concerns 
• The role remote work plays in engagement 
• How Kolbe helps companies and employees connect 
• The two questions every manager needs to ask their team 
• Minor changes you can implement to make a massive difference

Hosts: Amy Bruske (3583) and David Kolbe (8273)

Key Insights  

⚡Leaders are disengaged, too. So, taking care of them is vital. Amy says, "I think we need to talk about the employees, but I also want to touch base a little bit on leaders because they are burnt out. And the Gallup survey that came out some time in late 2022 — I think it was right around October or November — was showing that only one in three leaders are engaged." 

⚡Companies need to embrace employee strengths. No amount of perks and parties will replace the need for workers to use their instinctive strengths in their daily role. Amy says, "People who absolutely love their jobs — and yes, I'm going to use the word love — love their job like it's a fit. In order for it to be a fit, it has to fit you in all three parts of the mind, which we can talk about in a minute. But those are the people that tend to be more engaged, and they want to stick around." 

⚡Kolbe helps you ask the right questions. One suggested solution to disengagement is to make sure managers talk more 1-on-1 with employees. But it’s vital you know what to ask. "One of the things that's just so simple and straightforward is asking someone, ‘How have you gotten to use your strengths this week?' or ‘What is the one task that you either keep putting off or is causing you the most stress?’ There are some really basic questions. If you haven't had those conversations with people this week, try those out — because it makes a big difference." 

⚡Remote workers have a hard time connecting with the company. Remote work has become more common after the pandemic, but is it good for employee engagement? Amy says, "Worker concerns were the clarity of expectations, connection to the mission or the purpose of the company, and then opportunities to learn and grow. I do worry about younger people, younger in their careers. So early in your career, in any environment, how do you have opportunities to learn and grow where you're not getting to just observe some of it through osmosis, that you get some of the learning about how people get things done and solve problems? You're missing that too."  

⚡Small things can make a big difference. Motivating your disengaged employees doesn't have to be a huge project. Instead, start small and focus on the little things. Amy says, "For any leaders that are listening right now, it's key to let you know that it's not about massive changes. So we're not talking about having to change everything about someone's role. Just doing  one task that causes stress just a little bit differently or reducing the amount of time you work against your grain even by 10 or 20 percent, that makes a big difference in satisfaction." 

***
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.

Working with family is hard. The people you care about most also have the most power to get on your nerves, which means working together can be a LOT!

It doesn’t have to be. 

With the right knowledge and understanding of each other’s instinctive strengths, you can work together with the most important people in your life without destroying your relationship — this episode’s guests (and the host) are proof!

In this episode of the Powered by Instinct podcast, our host David Kolbe welcomes Jerry Lujan and Kelley Lujan, a father-daughter duo now working together. Jerry is the CEO of Elevation 180, and Kelley is the Strategic Optimizer there, providing much-needed strengths to work in conjunction with her father. Jerry and Kelley talk with Kolbe CEO David Kolbe, himself no stranger to family businesses, about the benefits of knowing everyone’s MO, why open communication is critical, and how to help a strengths-based family business shine. 

It’s possible to strengthen your family business and your family bond at the same time. Take a listen to learn how.


Host: David Kolbe (8273)

Guests-at-a-Glance

💡 Name: Jerry Lujan (6572) and Kelley Lujan (9722)

💡 What they do: Jerry is the CEO of Elevation 180, and Kelley is the Strategic Optimizer at Elevation180.

💡 Company: Elevation180

💡 Noteworthy: Jerry and Kelley are a dynamic father-daughter duo running a family business together.

💡 Where to find them: Jerry's LinkedIn | Kelley's LinkedIn

Key Insights 

⚡Kolbe is beneficial for business relationships. Knowing your Kolbe Index helps you understand other people and lean into your instincts. Jerry says, "It fits my lifelong dream of bringing Kelley into the business with me and working together. And I'd have to say that it saved our business relationship. Obviously, it didn't have any impact on our personal relationship, but knowing each other so well was key to being able to talk about getting in the right lane or getting in the right position to be able to have the energy to play at the highest level."

⚡ Establish clear boundaries. Setting boundaries is vital for making a family business work. Kelley says, "We initiated some guidelines off the bat that in front of clients and at work, he's Jerry, and at home, he's still Dad. And we try and separate those two. But I would say, within the first month of working with each other, we were in Florida with a client. When we left, I was asking him for some advice, and we're talking back and forth, and he answered me very directly and how a boss would answer a new employee. I broke down because I was speaking from past experience and wanting him to mentor me as a dad. And we completely crossed paths when that happened. And I don't think he realized at first why I was breaking down, and I didn't have the words to explain. [...] And since we had that conversation, it hasn't happened again, and we've moved forward so strong, knowing each other really well, and having these tools like Kolbe to balance off."

⚡ Self-awareness is key. Developing self-awareness allows you to play to your strengths and build a healthy work relationship. Kelley says, "I think having that self-awareness is driving him so much further because I'm also involved in other companies that have high entrepreneurs — with high quick starts as well — and it's not the same. I think that self-awareness goes so incredibly far when you really take it and not just preach it but also live it."

***
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.