Steve Lear

As many of you know, I’ve been a strong advocate of Kolbe Wisdom for over 30 years. That’s why I’m excited to partner with Wanina Rae Debelo to bring the benefits of Kolbe youth services to the SLO community.

I believe Kolbe is a foundational tool; it helps us understand how we approach tasks and creates synergy among team members.

My own Kolbe score has provided me with invaluable insights. It revealed that I am a QuickStart – an idea person and visionary, who needs people with complementary modes of operation to achieve my goals. In other words, I need to work with people who initiate in Fact Finder mode (those who are energized by information and accuracy) and Follow Thru (those who are energized by getting things done). Understanding this greatly assisted me in building Affiance Financial, as well as several nonprofit organizations.

But I’ve often wondered… how would having this kind of self-awareness in high school have influenced my college and career decisions?

Since becoming involved with the financial literacy project in Minnesota, I have spent considerable time working with high school students – and I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the best! These young people are very curious about their natural way of doing things. It’s been tremendously gratifying to see how Kolbe provides them with the vocabulary to explain their abilities to others, empowering them to work effectively on projects both individually and in teams.

That’s why I’ve teamed up with Wanina Rae, a Kolbe Youth Certified Trainer. She is extremely knowledgeable and even more passionate than I am about helping young people understand their instinctive strengths.

If you have someone in your life under the age of 18, a Kolbe assessment will be instrumental in helping them align their efforts to ensure they’re working with their natural talents, rather than against them. And if you’re an educator, this information is crucial in determining the most effective ways to work with your students.

SteveLear.org is offering the following special opportunity to the SLO community: We have arranged to cover all costs for 50 young people to participate in Kolbe Youth Services. If you are interested, please contact Wanina Rae directly.

Here are a few of the benefits of an advisor-guided assessment:

• Provides personalized insights into someone’s natural problem-solving methods.
• Offers practical guidance for parents and educators:
  • Parents can support better decision-making about academic choices and potential careers.
  • Educators can tailor teaching strategies to match how students learn and contribute.
• Prevents misalignment and frustration. Youth might be mislabeled as “lazy” or “difficult” when they are simply being pushed to work against their natural mode of operation.
• Delivers expert interpretation and accountability. Experienced advisors recognize subtle behavior patterns and blind spots and can suggest actionable strategies. Follow-up sessions can keep youth engaged and on track.
• Provides a long-term return on investment. The payoff is evident in reduced frustration, fewer conflicts, and improved academic and career choices.

When we invest in our youth, we invest in the future. I encourage you to consider working with a Kolbe Youth Trainer as a way to provide young people with a roadmap that will help them thrive!