Question 1

What is CliftonStrengths?

Accepted Answer

CliftonStrengths is a talent assessment tool developed by Gallup that identifies your top talent themes from 34 possible themes. It measures your natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving to reveal where you have the greatest potential for strength development.

Question 2

How long does the assessment take?

Accepted Answer

The CliftonStrengths assessment typically takes 20-30 minutes to complete. It consists of 80+ paired-choice questions, and it's important to respond quickly with your first instinct for the most accurate results.

Question 3

Is this the same as StrengthsFinder?

Accepted Answer

Yes, CliftonStrengths was formerly known as StrengthsFinder. Gallup renamed it in 2015 to honor Dr. Donald O. Clifton, the creator of the assessment. The content and methodology remain the same.

Question 4

Can I retake the assessment?

Accepted Answer

While you can technically retake the assessment, it's not recommended or necessary. Your talent themes are relatively stable over time. If you do retake it, there may be slight variations in your results due to life circumstances, but your core themes typically remain consistent.

Question 5

What do my top 5 themes mean?

Accepted Answer

Your top 5 themes represent your greatest areas of talent and potential for strength development. These are the natural patterns where you have the most potential to excel when properly developed and applied.

Question 6

Are my bottom themes weaknesses?

Accepted Answer

No, your bottom themes are not weaknesses - they're simply areas where you have less natural talent. The CliftonStrengths philosophy focuses on developing your top talents rather than trying to improve areas where you naturally have less potential.

Question 7

What if I don't relate to my results?

Accepted Answer

This is not uncommon and can happen for several reasons: you may be in early stages of talent development, operating in a role that doesn't utilize your strengths, or need time to understand how themes show up in your life. Consider discussing your results with a certified CliftonStrengths coach.

Question 8

How unique is my combination of themes?

Accepted Answer

The probability of someone else having your exact same top 5 themes in the same order is approximately 1 in 33 million. This makes your talent profile highly unique and personalized to you.

Question 9

How do I develop my talents into strengths?

Accepted Answer

Talents become strengths through knowledge, skills, and practice. Learn about your themes, develop relevant skills, and practice applying them in various situations. Consider reading theme-specific development materials and working with a strengths coach.

Question 10

Can I use this for career planning?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! CliftonStrengths is excellent for career planning. It helps you understand what types of roles, environments, and responsibilities align with your natural talents, leading to greater satisfaction and performance.

Question 11

How can teams use CliftonStrengths?

Accepted Answer

Teams can use CliftonStrengths to understand each member's unique contributions, improve communication, assign tasks based on natural talents, and create more balanced, complementary teams. Team workshops and strengths-based discussions are highly valuable.

Question 12

Should I try to develop my weaker themes?

Accepted Answer

The CliftonStrengths approach recommends focusing primarily on your top themes while managing around your weaker themes. You can develop enough competence in lower themes to avoid derailment, but your greatest growth potential lies in your top talents.

Question 13

How accurate is the CliftonStrengths assessment?

Accepted Answer

CliftonStrengths has strong psychometric properties with reliability coefficients ranging from .78 to .93. It has been validated through decades of research involving millions of people and has demonstrated predictive validity for performance outcomes.

Question 14

What if I was having a bad day when I took it?

Accepted Answer

The assessment is designed to measure your consistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving rather than temporary states. However, if you were experiencing unusual circumstances or not feeling like yourself, this could potentially impact results. Consider your overall life context when interpreting results.

Question 15

Do results change over time?

Accepted Answer

Your core talent themes are relatively stable throughout your adult life. However, how you express and apply these themes can evolve with experience, development, and changing life circumstances. Your themes provide a consistent foundation while their expression may vary.

Question 16

Is this scientifically validated?

Accepted Answer

Yes, CliftonStrengths is built on over 40 years of Gallup research studying what makes people successful. It has been validated through extensive psychometric testing, factor analysis, and predictive validity studies across diverse populations and cultures.

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Understanding Results

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