There’s a hidden key to human performance that isn’t widely known and it’s only when we come to  understand it that we can finally see how to leverage our strengths from a truly holistic perspective. 

The Three Parts of the Mind

If you’re anything like me, then you’ve probably taken many, many assessments over the years: personality assessments, quizzes, aptitude tests, skills-based tests, etc.  They all tell us something about ourselves, but the missing piece lies in the parts of the mind on which these popular assessments focus.  Cognitive (knowing) and Affective (knowing) parts of the mind are the most familiar to us, but there’s a third piece and it’s not nearly as commonly showcased and that’s the Conative (doing) part of the mind. 

Ancient philosophers like Aristotle and Plato spoke of the mind as having three distinct faculties: thinking (cognition), feeling (affection), and acting, highlighting conation’s role in action and self-preservation. They suggested that conation, or the drive to act, was fundamental to one’s essence and survival, underscoring its significance in achieving self-actualization and expressing one’s true nature.

Why Conation Matters

“Your conative mind contains the instincts and innate attributes that define your natural method of operation (MO). When you work in your natural style, you are more productive, more comfortable and more successful.”

Kathy Kolbe and Kolbe Corp.

The Kolbe assessments allow us to identify and measure people’s innate strengths in the conative part of the mind.  As a Certified Kolbe™ Consultant, I am able to interpret those strengths and explain them as well as give practical, applicable strategies of how to work within your strengths to a greater degree. 

Understanding conation is like unlocking a superpower within us and our teams. It’s all about tapping into the natural, gut-driven ways we tackle tasks and solve problems. This part of us doesn’t change over time; we are born with these strengths and when we learn how to identify and leverage them, things shift into a whole new playing field of alignment. Understanding our conative strengths through our Kolbe assessment means we can work in ways that feel right, leading to less stress and more joy in what we do.

When it comes to building teams, knowing about everyone’s conative strengths changes the game. It’s not just about putting people together; it’s about mixing the right instincts so everyone’s in their groove, leading to more creativity and productivity. This makes for a happier workplace where everyone gets to shine doing what they do best. This smart match-up of tasks and natural talents is the secret sauce for a thriving team and business.

Putting It All Together: The Holistic Approach to Business Success

Understanding and applying our knowledge of the three parts of the mind—cognitive, affective, and conative—allows us to approach our businesses and personal growth in a holistic, balanced way. This comprehensive awareness enables us to leverage our full potential, ensuring we’re not just making decisions based on what we know or how we feel, but also on how we naturally do things. As your Certified Kolbe™ Consultant, I’m here to guide you through discovering your conative strengths and integrating them into your business strategies for unparalleled success.

Ready to unlock your team’s and your own natural method of operation (MO) to boost productivity, comfort, and success? Book a personalized Kolbe A™ interpretation and strategy session with me today. Discover the power of working in harmony with your innate strengths and set your business on the path to true holistic success.