Have you ever felt like you're constantly swimming against the current? You work hard, follow advice, and try to adopt the habits of others, but something still feels off. It's frustrating, and it can leave you questioning your abilities. What you're experiencing might just be what I call “Hardwiring Amnesia"—forgetting that you're instinctively wired to take purposeful action in your own natural way.
The Danger of Working Against Your Grain
Each of us is hardwired to approach tasks and solve problems in a specific way. It's not something we learn or choose—it's an innate, instinctive part of who we are. When we ignore this natural way of operating and try to force ourselves to work against our grain, we encounter unnecessary stress, frustration, and even burnout.
For example, a person wired to gather all the details before making decisions (an Initiating Fact Finder) might struggle in a role requiring snap judgments. Similarly, someone with a natural instinct for improvisation and risk-taking (an Initiating Quick Start) might feel stifled in an overly rigid, structured environment. When you try to work outside your instinctive strengths for too long, you're likely to feel overwhelmed and ineffective—no matter how capable you are.
Remembering Your Hardwiring with Kolbe
This is where your Kolbe MO (Mode of Operation) comes in. The Kolbe A™ Index helps you rediscover and embrace how you're naturally wired to take action. It identifies your strengths across four Action Modes: Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start, and Implementor. These strengths highlight the instinctive ways you gather and share information, organize, handle risk, and manage physical or tangible tasks.
Understanding your Kolbe MO allows you to stop fighting against your natural tendencies and start leveraging them to your advantage. Instead of trying to be someone you're not, you can focus on maximizing your innate abilities—leading to greater productivity, less stress, and more satisfaction.
A Practical Example of Leveraging Your Wiring
Imagine someone who is an Initiating Follow Thru. They instinctively thrive on organizing systems, creating continuity, and ensuring that processes are followed to the letter. If this person is forced into a chaotic, ever-changing environment with no structure, they'll likely feel lost and unproductive. On the other hand, once they're placed in a role where their organizational strengths are valued, they'll excel—designing systems and processes that create efficiency for the whole team.
Now consider an Initiating Quick Start. This person naturally thrives in fast-paced, high-stakes environments where they can brainstorm, innovate, and adapt on the fly. Asking them to design a complex, long-term system would drain their energy and enthusiasm. But when given the freedom to operate in their natural instinctive zone, they can become a powerhouse of creativity and innovation.
How to Overcome "Hardwiring Amnesia"
If you've been ignoring or forgetting how you're wired to operate, the first step is simple: Rediscover your strengths. Taking the Kolbe A Index™ is an eye-opening experience that will provide clarity on your natural way of taking action.
From there, you can make intentional choices about how to apply your strengths in your work and personal life. Whether that means shifting how you approach tasks, reevaluating your role, or even restructuring your team to better align with everyone's strengths, the result is a more authentic, effective way of operating.
The Bottom Line
"Hardwiring Amnesia" happens when we forget to honor how we're instinctively wired. But the good news is that it's entirely avoidable. Your Kolbe MO is your personal guide to understanding and leveraging your natural strengths—helping you achieve your goals with less friction and more fulfillment.
So, stop swimming against the current. Rediscover your hardwiring, embrace your instincts, and watch as you accomplish more with ease and confidence. It's time to remember who you were naturally wired to be.
Ready to Dive Deeper into Your Strengths?
Join us for the next Virtual Kolbe Workshop on
April 30th, 2025, from 2:00–4:00 PM CT.
During this interactive session, you'll learn how to identify and leverage your Kolbe strengths to unlock your full potential.
Register now to reserve your spot:
Save Your Spot: Register Now
Don't miss this opportunity to reconnect with your natural strengths and start the new year with clarity, confidence, and purpose. I look forward to seeing you there! Sara 😊