CliftonStrengths
CliftonStrengths is a Strengths-based development tool for learning, leadership and professional growth.
CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) Research and Where It All Began
Traditionally, the field of psychology was focused more on interventions that decreased an individual's misery. But Don Clifton saw an opportunity to supplement this traditional science — a way to build the "enabling conditions of life." Strengths science answers questions about what's right with people rather than what's wrong with them. Clifton initiated early work on Strengths and received a Presidential Commendation from the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2003 as the father of Strengths-based psychology and the grandfather of positive psychology for his efforts.
The formula Talent x Investment = Strength captures a profound concept in a simple fashion.Talents, founder Don Clifton wrote, are your "naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling or behavior." They're the innate, natural abilities you can productively apply.When Clifton studied human behavior, he noted hundreds of positive characteristics and saw that many of those characteristics had commonalities. Based on those common traits, he distilled them down into the 34 talent themes we know today. To identify the rank order of those 34 themes for yourself, take the CliftonStrengths assessment, which measures the presence of talents.But to turn those talents into Strengths, you must invest in them — practice using them and add knowledge and skills to them.
How I Use CliftonStrengths
in My Approach
Connectedness
I help others see connections and purpose in everyday life.
Empathy
Strong ability to understand others' thoughts and feelings.
Ideation
Highly creative to inspire and energize myself and others.
Maximizer
I strive for excellence and encourage others to do the same.
Adaptability
I'm able to react in the moment and be a positive force for change.
Developer
Invested in recognizing and cultivating potential in others.
Woo
(Winning Others Over) I relish spending time everyday interacting with people.
Strategic
I always have at least 3 options in mind to enable immediate adaptability if needed.
Relator
Inclined to connect deeply to gain friends for life.
Achiever
I bring intensity and effort to the most important things in life.
Grounded in empathy, purpose, and connection, my Strengths allow me to deeply understand people and meet them where they are.
BENEFITS
Below are examples of CliftonStrengths applied in Life or at Work.
Discovering your Strengths — and those of others — turns differences into understanding, similarities into connection, and potential into performance.
BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY
Begin Your CliftonStrengths Journey – Individual or for Your Team
Getting started with CliftonStrengths is simple—and intentionally paced so you feel supported at every step.
