The CliftonStrengths Assessment Review
The best tool on the market to find and develop your potential
PROS
Practical Approach: Focuses on enhancing your existing talents, not battling weaknesses.
Rooted in Success: Builds on the idea that we naturally gravitate towards what we do well.
Validity: Designed to deliver consistent results, highlighting genuine, long-lasting strengths.
CONS
Time Investment: The assessment takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Best with Guidance: The report is complex, and a coach helps maximize its value.
Rapid-Fire Questions: 20-second response times force instinctive answers but might initially feel disorienting.
Of all the personality assessment tools out there, CliftonStrengths is one of the most complex. And yet, it's my favorite. You see, I've always been fascinated by the idea of evolution. I believe that as adults, we don't tend to experience drastic changes unless life forces our hand. However, that doesn't mean we're stuck. Instead, we constantly evolve into versions of ourselves better equipped for our environment. That's how we develop our unique powers. Knowing those powers is crucial for several reasons:
Developing them into true superpowers
Strategizing to compensate for gaps and avoid our personal kryptonite
Recognizing when too much of a good thing backfires, turning strengths into weaknesses (unless becoming a villain is your ambition).
Assessments are a dime a dozen, but StrengthsFinder stands out because of its complexity. It goes deeper to uncover your evolved strengths. This isn't just about what you do well, but also about understanding where overusing those strengths could work against you. Knowing that difference is what truly helps you level up.
How Much Does the Assessment Cost?
Gallup offers several CliftonStrengths packages:
Full 34 Strengths Assessment: Access your complete strengths profile for $59.99.
Top 5 Strengths Only: Discover your most dominant talents for $24.99.
CliftonStrengths for Managers: A specialized version tailored for leaders, priced at $49.99
I always recommend the full 34 strengths assessment for the most comprehensive picture of your potential. If you already know your Top 5, you can upgrade to the full 34 strengths assessment for an additional $49.99.
Getting Started with CliftonStrengths
The process to begin your CliftonStrengths journey is straightforward:
Visit Gallup.com: Head to the official Gallup website (https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/252137/home.aspx).
Shop: Navigate to the "Buy CliftonStregths" section.
Purchase: Select the "CliftonStrengths Assessment" that suits your needs (Full 34, Top 5, or the select version).
Follow the Instructions: After your purchase, you'll receive an email with detailed instructions on how to access and complete the assessment.
Questionnaire
Before diving into the strengths themselves, here's what to expect from the CliftonStrengths questionnaire process:
Language Options: Gallup offers the assessment in a wide array of languages, including Bahasa, Deutsch, English (GB), English (USA), Español, Español Europeo, Français, Français Canadien, Hrvatski, Italiano, Magyar, Nederlands, Polski, Português (Brazil), Romana, Slovenscina, Svenska, Türkçe, Čeština, Bulgarian, Russian, Thai, Arabic, Hindi, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong), Hebrew, and Korean. I took the assessment in English (USA).
Privacy Note: You'll be asked about your country of residence to ensure Gallup complies with applicable privacy laws. My country of residence was USA.
Consent: You'll need to agree to a consent statement before starting the assessment, which was consistent with the US Privacy Law. The terms of this may vary based on your location's regulations.
The Format: The CliftonStrengths assessment presents you with 200 pairs of descriptive statements. Your task is to choose the statement that best describes you and indicate how strongly you agree with it. You may find cases where both statements seem somewhat accurate – in that case, choose the one that feels more true or describes you more often.
Trust Your Gut: The assessment is timed, with 20 seconds per question. The goal is to capture your instinctive response, so don't overthink!
Clarity and the Neutral Option: In my experience, the statements were clear and easy to understand. Having the option to select "Neutral" was helpful when both statements felt somewhat accurate.
Report
The true power of CliftonStrengths lies in the detailed reports you receive after completing the assessment. Gallup provides four reports at no extra charge:
CliftonStrengths 34 Report: This comprehensive report delves into your complete strengths profile. It offers custom descriptions of your top five themes, insights into the four domains (Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, Strategic Thinking), and tips for navigating potential weak spots.
CliftonStrengths Top 5 Report: If you want a focused view, this report zooms in on your top five strengths. You'll get unique theme insights and actionable advice tailored to maximizing those talents for both personal and professional growth.
Signature Theme Report: This report provides in-depth descriptions of your top five CliftonStrengths themes, giving you a deeper understanding of your core strengths.
Theme Sequence Report: See all 34 of your CliftonStrengths themes ranked in order, accompanied by descriptive summaries of each.
A Coach's Perspective
While each report offers valuable insights from a different angle, I believe working with a qualified coach unlocks their true potential. The reports purposefully simplify complex concepts, but a coach can help you translate them into real-world strategies. They offer a personalized lens that's hard to achieve on your own.
Accuracy
Accuracy
One of the major strengths of the CliftonStrengths assessment is its reliability. Gallup has extensive evidence demonstrating excellent test-retest results, meaning your results are likely to be highly consistent over time. This is reassuring, as it means you're not dealing with a fluctuating personality test.
Stability Over Time
Don't worry about your results suddenly changing out of the blue. Gallup emphasizes a high degree of stability for most individuals, even with several years between assessments. The order of your themes tends to be particularly reliable.
When Retaking Makes Sense
Generally, retaking the assessment isn't necessary. However, Gallup allows it in a few specific scenarios:
Traumatic Events: If you took the assessment right before or after a significant life-altering event, your results might not reflect your typical responses
Language Barrier: If you took the assessment in a language you weren't fully fluent in, your current understanding might lead to different answers.
Initial Distractions: If you were significantly distracted during your first assessment, your results might not be truly representative.
Early Adulthood: If you completed it very early in your life (and more than 10 years have passed), your perspective and self-awareness have likely evolved.
Lack of Authenticity: If you weren't fully honest in your initial responses, a retake allows you to provide a more accurate picture of yourself.
My Experience
I've personally taken the assessment three times: in 2017, 2019, and 2024. My results have been remarkably consistent, even showcasing personal growth in areas where I'd focused effort.
Important Note: Gallup typically has guidelines to prevent frequent retakes. However, for research purposes (as in my case), you can create a new account if necessary.
After exploring the ins and outs of the CliftonStrengths assessment, I echo my initial sentiment: it's a powerful tool when used strategically. Its focus on developing existing talents, rather than fixating on weaknesses, makes it stand apart. For over 7 years, I've leveraged CliftonStrengths in my mentorship and professional practice, and the actionable insights it provides for personal growth are unmatched.
However, a word of caution: this isn't a "pop psychology" assessment by any means. If you aren't somewhat familiar with the science and concepts underpinning it, the reports can feel complex. Working with a coach can help bridge that gap.
Beyond personal growth, CliftonStrengths is also a fantastic tool for teams. By highlighting individual strengths, it always fosters positive discussions about collaboration and mutual support. Teammates can lean on each other's superpowers for greater overall success.
If you're seeking a tool to pinpoint your evolved talents, understand your strengths' "kryptonite", and develop a targeted growth strategy (both individually and as a team), CliftonStrengths is absolutely worth considering.
