Kevin Waters is a Predictive Index® Certified Partner. He’s the CEO of Clear Leader Group, a firm specializing in executive coaching, strategic planning, and talent optimization. Prior to working as a consultant, Waters served as a pastor for more than a decade.
Read on to learn what drew Kevin to PI—and how the PI software has impacted his business and clients.
How did you come to find The Predictive Index?
“I’ve been in consulting since 2016, working with teams to help boost their productivity. When I work with teams, the results are clear: morale improves, communication strengthens, and results soar.
However, once I remove myself from a team to lend my expertise elsewhere, that progress tends to fade. The team moves toward a state of disarray—sometimes ending up in worse condition than when I started.
To remedy this, I went hunting for a tool I could use to help clients self-manage. When I learned about PI, I knew it was the right platform to achieve this goal. Now, I use PI to empower clients to lead themselves.”
What stands out about PI that made you choose it over other tools?
“Certainly, it’s the scientific validity—knowing there’s a team working to make sure the product is accurate. Team Work Styles™ is an incredible tool that has increased my coaching skill set. Now I have data, when before I was relying on intuition.
Most customers want to visualize the issues plaguing their organization—not have me tell it to them. With PI, I can provide results—not reports.”
Can you walk through the timeline of adding PI—and the success you’ve enjoyed?
“I added PI in April 2019, so pretty recently. I knew from the beginning I wasn’t going to treat it as a small add-on to my consulting business. I decided PI was going to make up more than 80% of it. I wanted to be a leader in people management.
I’ve always been driven by people. It’s how I’ve modeled my business. But I’ve never had the right platform to help me empower individuals and deliver results.
Becoming a PI Certified Partner has helped me to do just that. By dedicating the time to learn the software—and then coach clients and sell them on it—I’ve really differentiated myself in the marketplace.”
What’s an example of a time a client’s business transformed using PI?
“I have a client I coached this past year on organizational management. They were about to hire a CFO from a pool of six candidates. I told the CEO he could pick a CFO based on interviews and his own intuition—or we could use PI to help understand the role requirements and see if the client even had a candidate that fits. The CEO decided to give PI a try.
I sent behavioral assessments to the six candidates. Our target was a fast-paced, reflective initiative-taker who’d be detail-oriented, but not to the point of micromanaging. We looked at the six candidates; only one fit the mark. That’s the one the client hired.
It was a transformative moment for my client. They’d been leaning toward a different candidate—one I don’t think would have served the team well.”
How has the PI Behavioral Assessment™ impacted the way you interact with clients?
“One of my clients is the executive team of a large bank. I did behavioral readbacks for 23 of 26 members of the team. Every single one said the assessment was ‘spot-on’ or ‘scary’ when describing their behavioral drives and needs in the workplace—it was that accurate.
The PI Behavioral Assessment has transformed the way I approach clients. Now, I ask myself what I can do with such powerful data. I wonder how I can leverage it to become a better leader—and use people data to help others succeed.
People always say it’s impossible to have a two-question, five-minute assessment that delivers so much, so accurately. Yet PI does exactly that. It’s fun—and it gives me insight into the dynamics of the leadership teams I work with.”
Are there any metrics you can share as an example of your firm’s growth?
“Last month, I learned I’d outpaced my planned projections by over 540%.
This growth is most evident in my firm’s sales. The PI software provides a recurring revenue stream from annual subscriptions. I expect a 97% to 99% renewal rate from clients, which is great. I’m also empowered to train my clients in talent optimization—expanding the opportunity for revenue and the longevity of my contracts.
I want a million-dollar business by next year. And I think we’ll get there.”
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