CliftonStrengths
Introduction
CliftonStrengths is a personal development tool created by the Gallup organization based on the idea that focusing on your natural talents and strengths can lead to more tremendous personal and professional success. The CliftonStrengths assessment helps individuals identify and better understand their unique talents and abilities based on 34 different themes.
When a person takes the CliftonStrengths assessment, they receive a personalized report listing their top five strengths and a complete ranking of all 34 themes. The review is designed to help individuals identify what comes naturally to them and where they are most likely to excel.
According to the CliftonStrengths philosophy, individuals who focus on developing their strengths rather than improving their weaknesses are more likely to achieve success and satisfaction. By building on their natural talents, individuals can become more confident and effective in their work and personal lives.
The 34 themes measured by the CliftonStrengths assessment include adaptability, empathy, ideation, and strategic thinking. Each theme is designed to capture a specific aspect of personality and behavior that contributes to success in different arenas.
Overall, the CliftonStrengths assessment and philosophy are intended to help individuals identify their natural talents and focus on developing them into strengths. By doing so, individuals can achieve tremendous success and satisfaction in their lives and careers.
The 34 Themes
The 34 themes in the CliftonStrengths assessment can be grouped into four main categories: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking.
Executing
These themes relate to action-oriented individuals who can get things done.
- Achiever: Individuals with a strong work ethic are driven to accomplish their goals.
- Arranger: People adept at organizing and coordinating resources to achieve a desired outcome.
- Belief: Core values or principles guide those with a strong sense of purpose.
- Consistency: Individuals who strive to treat everyone fairly and equally.
- Deliberative: People who are careful and thorough in their decision-making processes.
- Discipline: Those who are highly organized and thrive on routine and structure.
- Focus: Individuals who can concentrate on a task and see it through to completion.
- Responsibility: People who take personal accountability for their actions and the outcomes they produce.
- Restorative: Individuals who are adept at identifying and solving problems.
Influencing
These themes relate to individuals who can lead and persuade others.
- Activator: Individuals who are quick to take action and help others get started on a task.
- Command: People who can take charge and decisively make decisions.
- Communication: Those who are adept at compellingly articulating their thoughts and ideas.
- Competition: Individuals who are motivated by competition and enjoy measuring their performance against others.
- Maximizer: People who are adept at identifying and developing the strengths of themselves and others.
- Self-Assurance: Those who are confident in their abilities and decisions.
- Significance: Individuals who strive to impact the world and be recognized for their achievements significantly.
- Woo (Winning Others Over): People who naturally can win others over and build relationships.
Relationship Building
- Adaptability: Individuals who adapt to changing circumstances and adjust their behavior accordingly.
- Connectedness: People who have a deep sense of interconnectedness and believe that everything in the world is interrelated.
- Developer: Those who enjoy helping others grow and develop their abilities.
- Empathy: Individuals who can sense and understand the feelings of others.
- Harmony: People who seek to avoid conflict and strive for harmony in their relationships.
- Includer: Those who are naturally accepting of others and seek to include them in social situations.
- Individualization: Individuals are adept at recognizing and appreciating the unique qualities of each person.
- Positivity: People who have a contagious enthusiasm and optimism about life.
- Relator: Those who prefer close, one-on-one relationships with a few people.
Strategic Thinking
These themes relate to individuals who can think conceptually and see the big picture.
- Analytical: Individuals enjoy analyzing data and information to understand complex problems better.
- Context: People who can understand the historical and cultural context in which they work.
- Futuristic: Those who can envision the possibilities of the future.
- Ideation: Individuals who can generate creative ideas.
- Input: People who enjoy gathering information and are continually learning.
- Intellection: Those who enjoy thinking and reflecting on complex issues.
- Learner: Individuals who are constantly seeking to acquire new knowledge and skills.
- Strategic: People adept at seeing patterns and connections between ideas.