It’s no secret that recruitment and retention remain huge issues throughout the business world.

But finding and keeping the right people doesn’t really mean much if they can’t function as a team. Everyone’s personality is different, everyone’s work habits are different. How do you take all of those unique characteristics and put them together in a way that will squeeze out the most bang for your productivity buck?

There’s a tool out there that can help you do that. It’s called the Kolbe Index, a survey that can help you identify and build on each employee’s natural strengths.

The MACPA’s employees recently took the Kolbe survey — a very interesting exercise — and Sandra Wiley helped us interpret the results. Sandra is chief operating officer and senior consultant with Boomer Consulting. She is a certified Kolbe trainer and assists clients in building teams, managing employee conflict and hiring staff.

I recently spoke with Sandra over the phone, and she gave me a Kolbe primer of sorts. Listen as she outlines Kolbe’s benefits and potential in this MACPA podcast.

• Subscribe to our free weekly podcasts here, or open your copy of iTunes and search for “CPA Spotlight.”

Have you ever taken the Kolbe survey? What did you learn from the results?

For those who haven’t, Sandra is one of our newest strategic partners in the Business Learning Institute. She is available to do custom programs for your company or firm. Contact Pam Devine for details.