CliftonStrengths® is a powerful tool developed by Gallup that helps people discover what they do best. Rather than focusing on weaknesses, it highlights your top talents, instinctive patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior that can be productively applied.
In today’s fast-paced, collaborative work environments, understanding how each person contributes best is key to building stronger, more effective teams. When people recognize their strengths and appreciate the talents of those around them, it leads to better communication, deeper trust, and a culture where people are empowered to thrive together.
Let’s break down what CliftonStrengths® is, how the assessment works, and why it’s a game changer for building stronger, more effective teams.
What is CliftonStrengths ™?
CliftonStrengths®, developed by Don Clifton and the Gallup Organization, is a strengths-based assessment designed to uncover a person’s talents. Rather than focusing on areas of weakness, it highlights a person’s top themes from a framework of 34 distinct talent areas. These themes reveal the ways people think, feel, and behave, insights that are often hard to put into words but important for personal growth and development.
What makes CliftonStrengths® so valuable is how it brings self-awareness to the table. It gives people the language to better understand themselves and how they operate day to day, whether that’s in their work, relationships, or decision-making. It’s not about changing who you are; it’s about leaning into your strengths and using them more intentionally.
Whether your talents lie in areas such as strategic thinking, building relationships, getting things done, or influencing others, CliftonStrengths® helps you recognize the value you bring to the team. It fosters a shared understanding among coworkers and sets the foundation for improved collaboration, enhanced communication, and a more engaged workplace.
How CliftonStrengths® Differs from Other Personality Tests
There are a few things that set CliftonStrengths® apart from other personality tests, including how other assessments tend to categorize people or highlight areas where they need to improve. CliftonStrengths® takes a different approach by helping you understand your strengths better and guiding you on how to develop them in practical, meaningful ways that make a real difference. Instead of trying to “fix” what’s lacking, CliftonStrengths® promotes strengths-based development. The goal is to help you do more of what you’re already good at and do it even better. This perspective not only boosts personal confidence and growth but also creates a healthier, more productive team dynamic where everyone brings their best to the table. Another key difference is that CliftonStrengths® is designed to be dynamic and developmental; your talents aren’t fixed labels but starting points for ongoing growth and change.
Benefits of Using CliftonStrengths® for Teams
Better Communication
When team members understand each other’s strengths, they see different working styles and perspectives. CliftonStrengths® helps people recognize how their coworkers approach tasks, solve problems, and communicate. That awareness leads to clearer, more respectful interactions and helps reduce misunderstandings. Teams start to collaborate more effectively because they can lean into each other’s talents instead of working against one another.
Increased Employee Engagement
People are more energized and committed when they get to do what they do best every day. By focusing on strengths, CliftonStrengths® encourages people to bring their real selves to work, contributing in ways that feel both natural and rewarding. This not only increases engagement but also fosters a more positive and supportive work environment where employees feel seen and valued.
Stronger Team Dynamics
CliftonStrengths® provides teams with a shared language for understanding one another’s talents, leading to stronger, more balanced group dynamics. When leaders and team members recognize the value of diverse strengths, they can build more complementary teams, matching tasks to the right people instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach. This kind of strengths-based teamwork encourages trust, mutual respect, and better results.
Improved Performance & Productivity
When everyone on the team focuses on what they do best, work gets done more efficiently and effectively. CliftonStrengths® empowers people to take ownership of their roles and contribute in ways that align with their abilities. Over time, this leads to stronger performance, higher productivity, and a team that operates with greater confidence and clarity.
Real-World Applications in the Workplace
CliftonStrengths® isn’t just something you take and forget; it can be applied through team-building exercises, coaching, and day-to-day interactions. Many teams use it to kick off group workshops or retreats, where members share their top strengths and explore how those talents show up in their work. These exercises help build trust, spark meaningful conversations, and strengthen collaboration. Beyond team bonding, it also supports strengths-based leadership. Managers can use it to guide performance reviews, give more personalized feedback, and help employees grow in ways that align with their natural abilities. And when conflicts arise, having a shared understanding of each other’s strengths can make it easier to navigate differences and find common ground.
How to Get Started
Photo Credit: Gallup CliftonStrengths™
Getting started with CliftonStrengths® is simple. Team members begin by taking the assessment, which takes about 30 minutes to complete. There are two options: the basic version reveals your Top 5 strengths, while the full 34 report gives a complete ranking of all talent themes for a deeper, more comprehensive view. It presents a series of paired statements, and you're asked to choose the one that best describes you and how strongly you feel about it. The goal is to capture your instinctive reactions, not overthink so that Gallup can identify your most dominant patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior.
The Takeaway
CliftonStrengths® offers lasting value by helping people understand and embrace what they do best and by giving teams a tool for collaboration, communication, and growth. When people know their strengths and feel empowered to use them, engagement rises, performance improves, and team dynamics strengthen. If you're a leader looking to create a more connected, motivated team, a strengths-based approach is a great place to start.
Ready to put it into action? Take the CliftonStrengths® assessment, then come back to celebrate your talents. Hosting a workshop or team event? Our personalized name tags, placards, and table tents are great tools for sparking connections and highlighting each person’s unique strengths.
