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The gap between what leaders think they know about their teams and what actually drives performance has never been wider. Remote work exposed it. Hybrid models amplified it. And the cost of getting it wrong keeps climbing.

A ValiantCEO Magazine feature on Jason P. Carroll, founder and CEO of Aptive Index, walks through the moment that changed how he thought about teams, conflict, and growth.

The Breaking Point

In 2016, Carroll was scaling Champion National Security—800 to 2,500 employees in seven years. The growth was real. So was the friction.

He and the company's COO were stuck in constant tension. Carroll pushed for change. The COO prioritized stability. To each other, they were roadblocks.

Then the team introduced psychometric assessments.

What emerged wasn't a personality quiz. It was clarity about motivational wiring—the drives that shaped how each leader approached decisions, risk, and execution.

The conflict didn't disappear. But the context did.

They stopped fighting over who was right and started leveraging why they were different. Stronger partnership. Faster decisions. Company positioned for acquisition.

That experience became Aptive Index. Not because it felt good. Because it worked.

Why the Old Playbooks Don't Work Anymore

The ValiantCEO interview highlights what many leaders are quietly confronting:

• Gen Z prioritizes purpose over paychecks
• Remote work fragmented communication
• Engagement and results feel increasingly at odds

Carroll's insight: most leadership breakdowns aren't about strategy or skill. They're about misalignment.

Misalignment between how leaders think people work and how they're actually wired. Between role demands and individual drives. Between culture and what people need to thrive.

The leaders solving for this aren't guessing. They're measuring.

What Gets Measured

Aptive Index surfaces the motivational patterns that determine how people show up under pressure:

• Influence needs — Lead by directing or supporting?
• Connection drives — Recharge through collaboration or independent work?
• Structure preferences — Thrive in predictability or ambiguity?
• Speed orientation — Prioritize accuracy or momentum?

Understanding how these interact reveals why two equally talented people perform completely differently in the same role.

This creates a framework for:

• Hiring that matches wiring to role demands
• Development that builds on natural strengths
• Team composition that turns friction into productive tension

The DEI Shift

One of the more direct points in the interview: DEI fails when it focuses on optics instead of alignment.

Aptive Index shifts the focus from culture fit (which reinforces sameness) to role fit and motivational alignment.

The question isn't "Do they fit our mold?"

It's "Does their wiring match what this role actually requires?"

Diversity without alignment creates friction, not strength. Inclusion without understanding creates presence without value.

Stop hiring for likeness. Start hiring for complementary drives.

What This Means

If you're leading a team, the lesson is straightforward:

You can't optimize what you don't understand.

The invisible layer—motivational wiring, stress response, decision-making patterns—determines outcomes more than resumes or gut instinct.

Leaders who integrate behavioral science aren't doing it for trends. They're doing it because the cost of misalignment is measurable.

This applies to hiring, team dynamics, development, and culture design.

The Work

Carroll's background—scaling to $80 million in revenue, leading through acquisition, certifying as an executive coach under Brené Brown—reflects one principle:

Leadership is about creating conditions for others to succeed.

Aptive Index operationalizes that. It gives leaders tools to see clearly, decide confidently, and build teams that perform under real conditions.

The future of work isn't about office vs. remote. It's about understanding the humans doing the work—and designing systems that align with how they're actually wired.

That's not a platitude. It's the work.

Read the full interview here.

AUSTIN, Texas (November 20, 2024)—Aptive Index, a leader in psychometric assessment and behavioral insights, is thrilled to unveil the results of its most comprehensive validation study to date, demonstrating the exceptional accuracy, reliability, and relevance of its innovative tools. This rigorous research further solidifies Aptive Index as a trusted partner for CEOs, business leaders, and HR professionals aiming to transform their hiring and team-building strategies.

The comprehensive study involved over 400 participants and integrated data from thousands of prior assessments, solidifying Aptive Index’s position as a leader in psychometric evaluation. Results demonstrated that Aptive Index consistently outperforms industry benchmarks in measuring personality and work-style attributes essential for successful organizational alignment.

Aptive Index uses seven key behavioral and hardwired work-style traits to help businesses match people with roles where they will thrive. This approach goes beyond traditional methods by looking at how someone’s natural tendencies align with the needs of a job or team. The result is lower turnover, stronger team connections, and more satisfied employees.

The study demonstrated exceptional reliability metrics across all key indicators. The four primary attributes of Influence, Sociability, Consistency, and Precision showed outstanding composite reliability scores ranging from 0.831 to 0.889, significantly exceeding industry standards. These core measurements were further validated by strong test-retest correlations, with Sociability showing particularly robust stability at 0.922. Factor analysis revealed high construct validity with Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) values between 0.781 and 0.892, confirming the assessment's precision in measuring distinct attributes. Collectively, these metrics establish the Aptive Index as one of the most reliable and scientifically validated tools available for talent optimization and strategic hiring decisions.

Further findings revealed the Aptive Index’s impact on reducing employee turnover, a key challenge for businesses worldwide. By aligning candidates with roles suited to their strengths and natural work styles, the assessment directly addresses the costly consequences of turnover, which can range from 30% to 150% of an employee’s annual salary. Aptive Index enables companies to foster more cohesive teams and improve retention rates by ensuring the right fit for every role.

Aptive Index also excels in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through its assessments. Rigorous analysis confirmed that the platform is free from demographic bias, supporting fair and inclusive hiring practices. This feature empowers organizations to build diverse teams while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and integrity.

“Our mission at Aptive Index is to help organizations make smarter, data-driven decisions that empower individuals and teams,” said Jason P. Carroll, Founder and CEO of Aptive Index. “This validation study demonstrates not only the precision of our platform but also the tangible benefits it brings to the workplace, from reducing turnover to promoting inclusivity.”

Click here to download the full validation documentation. [Aptive Index Comprehensive Validation Report.pdf]