This book investigates the concept of conation, the mental domain responsible for human action, and how understanding one's innate instincts improves performance. Kathy Kolbe, a specialist in human instincts, argues that traditional assessments focus too heavily on cognitive intelligence and personality, ignoring the third part of the mind: the conative. By identifying an individual's unique 'Kolbe Index' profile, the author provides a framework for aligning natural creative instincts with professional and personal tasks to maximize efficiency and reduce stress.

Experts and practitioners in organizational psychology frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the Kolbe Index and its application in team building. Readers often note that the prose is accessible to non-specialists while providing enough technical depth to be useful in professional management settings.