CliftonStrengths: The 6 Most Common Mistakes People Make

Over 38 million people worldwide have taken the Gallup^® CliftonStrengths^® assessment (formerly known as StrengthsFinder^®). Based on over 50 years of research, it's a powerful tool that helps you identify your natural Talents.

Most people take it in hopes to improve at work or at school. But I'd say the majority never fully grasp the depth and insight their CliftonStrengths results offer. I admit that understanding the power in your results isn't trivial. It requires some commitment, reflection, and even experimentation. But the return on your effort (and your investment in yourself) touches every part of your life - professional and personal. The power and reach of this tool are incredibly understated.

I encounter a lot of misconceptions and assumptions that people make about CliftonStrengths. I'm here to set the record straight, because I want you to get the most out of your results.

In this article, I share the six most common mistakes I see people make that get in the way of discovering everything this tool has to offer. In some cases, it's about making assumptions. In others, it's about getting confused by vocabulary and formal concepts. Don't let those early hurdles stop you. This article will help clear up those misleading concepts and simplify your CliftonStrengths journey.

The six most common mistakes, at a glance

1. People believe their CliftonStrengths results are their Strengths
2. People assume their CliftonStrengths results are what they do well
3. People assume what each term means (rather than understand Gallup's definition)
4. People think CliftonStrengths is just for work or school
5. People think just reading their CliftonStrengths results is enough
6. People believe CliftonStrengths can determine what they can or can't do

I've also created a video on this topic. The written version goes a little more in depth on the explanations, but here's the video for those who prefer that format (14:50).

Mistake 1: People believe their CliftonStrengths results are their Strengths

I get it. With names like CliftonStrengths and StrengthsFinder, it's easy to believe that your results are your Strengths. But the truth is that your results identify your predominant Talent Themes.

Now you might be wondering… "What?"

Remember, CliftonStrengths is based on decades of research. For Gallup to collect, compile, and analyze all of that data, they had to be very specific about their language and vocabulary. But don't let that deter you. Here are a few definitions to help you get past this first hurdle.

So when you get your CliftonStrengths results (e.g. your Top 5), those are your leading Talent Themes. They're your predominant categories of Talents - your natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that can be productively applied.

Now, where do Strengths come in?

To finish with a Strength, you start with Talent. By exploring how you use your Talents, you can identify your Strengths.

Your results don't identify your Strengths. They identify the Talents that lead to your Strengths.

For example, let's say you have the Relator^® Talent Theme in your Top 5. It could be that a Strength of yours is that you're a good team player because you take the time to develop a relationship with each person on the team. By doing that, you create trust, you're valued, and you help your team move forward. Or if you're a salesperson, maybe your Strength is creating long-term customer relationships. Again, you may be using your Relator Talents to really get to know your customers and build those relationships. Can you see how a Talent Theme is a component of how you achieve a Strength?

Here's an analogy I often use to explain the relationship between Talents and Strengths.

Think of a Talent Theme as an egg. An egg is an ingredient. On its own, it has the potential to become so many things. You can hardboil it, scramble it, or turn it into an omelet. You can use it to make fresh pasta, ravioli, fried rice, mayonnaise, cookies, or a layered chocolate cake.

Your Talent Themes are your ingredients (raw potential). What you consistently make well with your Talents (the resulting omelet, pasta, or cake) are your Strengths - the full recipes.

Sometimes your Talents are obvious in what you do. Think of the hardboiled egg. You look at it, and it's clearly egg. But other times, you combine a Talent with other Talents (other ingredients) to make something else entirely - like that cake. If you look underneath, you know egg is there. It's part of the whole. But it may not be recognizable at first glance.

So when you get your results, think about it. How are those patterns showing up in your life? How are you using those patterns to get consistent, positive results? What Strengths can you identify from those Talent Themes?

Because this mistake is so common (and so fundamental to the basics of CliftonStrengths), my very first video on CliftonStrengths covered this topic in detail - including examples of Talent Themes and the Strengths they lead to (not just analogies). You can watch it here: Strengths vs. Talent Themes

Mistake 2: People assume their CliftonStrengths results are what they do well

Now that Mistake 1 clarified that your CliftonStrengths results are your Talent Themes (not your Strengths), let's revisit and take a closer look at what Talents and Talent Themes are, according to Gallup.

Remember, a Talent is a naturally recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied. A Talent Theme is a category of those Talents. So your results identify your naturally recurring patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

In layman's terms, they're the patterns that come naturally to you. Because they're so natural, they're easy for you. You might even take them for granted - thinking that these ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving are just as easy for everyone else. The truth is that it may take real effort for someone else to understand your way of thinking, or to do the things you do so easily.

Now, just because these patterns are natural doesn't mean they're things you do well. Remember, these aren't Strengths. They're patterns.

But because they're natural patterns that can be productively applied, they're where you have the greatest potential. They have the potential to become Strengths - you just need to put in some work to develop them. Just like the egg, you have to do something with the ingredient to get a result.

Gallup has a formula for this:

It's not enough for the CliftonStrengths assessment to identify your predominant Talents (or patterns). Potential isn't enough. You have to put in the time and effort - training, learning, practicing, and gaining experience - to develop them into Strengths.

There's a lot more to explore on the relationship between Talents and Strengths, and even how they relate to your Weaknesses. For a video exploring some of this, check out: Identifying Personal Strengths and Weaknesses

Mistake 3: People assume what each term means (rather than understand Gallup's definition)

Again, CliftonStrengths is based on more than 50 years of research. Collecting and compiling all of that data consistently, across everyone who has been part of the research over the decades, required clearly defining terms - including the 34 Talent Themes.

So it's tempting to see words like Analytical^®, Achiever^®, Context^®, and Empathy^® and say: "Oh, I know what that means! I don't need to read Gallup's descriptions." But that would be a big mistake.

Applying your own perception of what a term means would be inconsistent. Everyone has a nuanced variation of how they perceive each word. It would be like comparing apples to pineapples. They're both fruits. They both have "apple" in the name. But they're completely different things.

You have to adopt Gallup's definitions to really gain the insight CliftonStrengths has to offer. For each Talent Theme, Gallup describes the characteristics of a person who has that dominant Theme - including what they're like, how they contribute, what they need, what they value, and even the negative labels others may put on them when that Talent Theme is misunderstood.

Example 1: Take a Talent Theme like Communication^®. You may assume that someone who's a good communicator has the Communication Talent Theme. But you can be an effective communicator (and even have a role in communications) without having Communication in your Top 5, or even your Top 10.

By Gallup's definition, people with strong Communication Talents find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They're articulate, verbally expressive, and natural storytellers. They tend to think out loud.

You probably know someone like this. You may think of them as outgoing, entertaining, or engaging. They may not be someone you'd describe as a communicator, but by Gallup's definition, they may have a predominant Communication Talent Theme. Chances are, they have the natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that Communication describes - and may not even know it.

Imagine the possibilities for someone who has the words to describe their natural Talents, invests in those Talents, develops them into Strengths, and intentionally directs them in a constructive way - maybe even into a career. How would that person's life transform?

Example 2: Now consider a Talent Theme like Connectedness^®. I can't tell you all the variations I've heard of what people think it means. Oftentimes, people tell me that "Connectors build strong relationships" or that "Connectors have large networks and connect people."

Connectedness is in the Relationship Building Domain, but it isn't about networking or knowing a lot of people. Gallup describes Connectedness as faith in the links among all things.

I know this Talent Theme well. It's the first of my own Top 5. And the first time I took the assessment, it had a different name: one of my results was Spirituality. It was later renamed Connectedness. I assume the change had something to do with people associating Spirituality with religion and misunderstanding what the Talent Theme means, but I can't say for sure.

Whatever the reason, it's important to understand Gallup's terms (including the Talent Theme descriptions) as Gallup defines them. Once you do, you'll gain insights about yourself and others that you'd never considered before. With their language, you'll gain a different perspective, make new discoveries, and have words to better describe yourself (with more insight) to others.

Think about the advantage when you're talking about yourself in an interview - when you're looking to distinguish yourself from other candidates.

I encourage you to dive deep into the definitions and materials associated with your Top Talent Themes. Exploring your Talent Themes and how they impact your day-to-day life can reveal volumes to you.

Mistake 4: People think CliftonStrengths is just for work or school

Chances are that you heard about CliftonStrengths at work or at school. And if not, you likely heard about it talking to friends, reading, watching videos, or brushing up on some personal development - i.e. ways to improve yourself and your opportunities.

Combine that with the fact that, according to Gallup, more than 90% of Fortune 500 companies have used CliftonStrengths. It's easy to believe that CliftonStrengths is solely a workplace or academic tool.

But let's go back to basics. What is CliftonStrengths identifying within you? Your dominant patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. These patterns don't start and stop at school or in the workplace. They're with you all day long - in your conversations, your relationships, your decision-making, your goal-setting, and more.

Rather than just applying what you're learning about yourself at work and at school, expand it to all aspects of your life.

For example, think about how your results are impacting your relationships with family and friends. Your natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving are influencing your opinions and your perspectives - and why you think the way you do.

Could that explain why someone else with the same information sees things so differently than you do? They have a different Talent Theme combination than you. They'll process the same information differently and potentially reach different conclusions and different priorities than you do. And that's just one example.

Imagine every decision you make, every word you say, and every action you take, every day, in every part of your life. Your Talent Themes are unconsciously influencing you and your day-to-day autopilot responses and patterns.

By diving in and exploring your CliftonStrengths results (and really understanding what they mean), you have a chance to see what's motivating you, get out of autopilot patterns (that may be getting you into trouble), and consciously make shifts to improve your life.

Furthermore, don't just think about today. What you're learning can benefit you tomorrow, in six months, and even 10 years from now. And even if you first learned about CliftonStrengths at work, what you learn about yourself isn't tied to that job. It's yours to take with you - into your next role, your next career, and wherever life takes you. The reach of what CliftonStrengths can do for you is extensive. Dive deep and make it part of your everyday tools - professionally and personally.

For more on how CliftonStrengths impacts other areas of your life, check out my video: How (and Where) to Use Gallup StrengthsFinder Results / CliftonStrengths Results

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Mistake 5: People think just reading their CliftonStrengths results is enough

I get it. There are so many quizzes and personality tests out there. But let's face it, knowing isn't enough anymore.

Most assessments out there identify you as 1-in-4, 1-in-16, or 1-in-32 possible results. CliftonStrengths is different. According to Gallup, the chance of someone else having your exact Top 5 Talent Themes, in the same order, is 1-in-33.4 million.

Let that sink in.

That's not something you're going to understand on the spot. It's going to take real effort to understand your results and use them to improve your life.

I've encountered so many people over the years who have taken the assessment, read it, and then tossed their reports off to the side somewhere. To be fair, the first two times I took the assessment, I did the same thing. I didn't know what to do with the information.

I took the assessment three times over 15 years. It wasn't until the third time (in 2016, after I left my former career) that I dove deep, went through formal training, and finally understood the power in my results. I was surprised how much in my life was tied to my CliftonStrengths results that I never knew. PDF reports don't convey or humanize the insight available to you. Don't make the same mistake that I (and so many others) have made.

Being 1-in-33.4 million really distinguishes you, and your results give you language to really understand and describe your Individuality. There's power in being that specific. But that level of granularity also requires some time, effort, and commitment from you to really understand it.

Nowadays, anyone can look up an answer. What differentiates you is whether you can dig under the surface, really understand something, and apply it. In this case, the knowledge is about you, your potential, and how you can be most successful. Isn't that worth it?

Now, to be fair, reading your reports isn't enough. The CliftonStrengths-based books mostly discuss the research and the concepts. However, for me, I needed more.

My Talent Themes lie in the Relationship Building and Executing Domains. I needed an interactive environment for these concepts to sink in. I needed to go through training and workshops to appreciate my results, what they mean, and how they impact me.

Luckily, it's been over 20 years since CliftonStrengths (originally StrengthsFinder) was introduced. Gallup has moved beyond just research and writing, and has trained and certified thousands of coaches worldwide. And they all have their own Talent Theme combinations too, so you're likely to find one who resonates with you (someone like me, perhaps).

Rather than just reading PDF reports, go ahead and watch videos, read Gallup's books, take a workshop or class, or work with a coach. Explore your results.

You need to experience what you're learning about yourself. Soak it in. By living it, you'll uncover more questions and inspire more possibilities for yourself. It's not until you live your results that you can really understand them and use them to transform your life. You, your life, and your future opportunities are worth the effort.

If you'd like a refresher on the basics of CliftonStrengths, check out my video: What is Gallup StrengthsFinder? / What is CliftonStrengths?

Mistake 6: People believe CliftonStrengths can determine what they can or can't do

Your CliftonStrengths results describe your natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Getting clear on those patterns puts you leaps ahead of most people around you. It gives you the chance to stop trying to be what you're not (or who you're not), and helps you focus on developing the qualities about you that will grow the most with the least amount of effort.

That being said, your natural patterns don't define what you can and can't do. They only help describe how you might approach it. Your results don't define your interests, your desires, your experiences, or even your beliefs. Based on your results alone, no one can predict whether you're going to be a baker or a musician.

It's possible for someone to describe the qualities you'd bring to what you do. For example: whether you use stories to engage people, whether you're constantly coming up with new ideas, whether you bring people together, or whether the work you do reflects your personal beliefs. You may get an idea of how you might do something, but the "what" is completely personal to you.

Even Gallup is clear that CliftonStrengths won't tell you what job you should have.

I've had people tell me they want to know what career would be best for them based on their results. I find the request incomplete and a bit disempowering. Instead, I suggest using CliftonStrengths to learn about yourself and what would be a Right Fit for you - not to define what you can or can't do.

CliftonStrengths can help you describe your personal criteria - mostly by clarifying your Talents (which also impact your needs and values).

Consider variables and examples like:

• How are your contributions measured? Examples: achievement, competition, innovation, collaboration, connection, quality, reach.
• What's the structure of your day? Examples: highly structured and planned, more autonomous, highly accountable with daily reports, competitive, collaborative.
• What environments might be right for you? Examples: indoor, outdoor, focused and solo, open space, quiet, travel, or a variety.
• Who do you work with? Examples: solo contributor, partnered with one person, close team interaction, collaborating with strangers, in-person, remote, or a variety.

Even if you have the same interests or experiences as someone else, what's a Right Fit for you may not be a Right Fit for them. One of you may enjoy independent creative work, whereas the other may enjoy a lot of structure and being surrounded by people. One size doesn't fit all.

Again, these variables help describe what may be Right Fit opportunities for you to thrive in, but there's no official list of which roles map to specific CliftonStrengths results.

Besides, the world is changing so much that new options and opportunities are created every day. In fact, your unique Talent Theme combination may be just different enough to be a disruptor in a traditional role. Challenge expectations. There's no one way to do or be anything, and your approach may be the new method your environment needs.

There's so much more I could say about this particular mistake. In this article, I only explored one angle. The short of it is that CliftonStrengths is a tool. It's designed to identify your potential and highlight your Individuality constructively. It can describe certain aspects of who you are, based on when you took the assessment, but in no way can it define you.

For more on how your results contribute to your Individuality, check out: Theme Dynamics: What Talents REALLY Look Like

Frequently asked questions

Is CliftonStrengths the same as StrengthsFinder?

Yes. It's the same assessment. Gallup renamed StrengthsFinder to CliftonStrengths to honor its creator, Don Clifton. A lot of people still know it by its original name, so you'll hear both.

What's the difference between a Talent and a Strength?

By Gallup's own definitions:

• A Talent is a naturally recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied.
• A Strength is the ability to consistently provide near-perfect performance in a specific task.

Your Talents (your natural patterns) lead to your Strengths. Think of your Talents as the ingredients and your Strengths as the recipes you consistently make well with your mix of ingredients. Gallup's formula: Talent x Investment = Strength.

How rare is my CliftonStrengths Top 5?

Very rare. According to Gallup, the chance of someone having your exact Top 5, in the same order, is 1-in-33.4 million.

Can CliftonStrengths tell me what career to choose?

No. Your results describe how you're likely to approach your work, not what that work should be. What they can do is help you define your criteria for a Right Fit - like how you prefer your contributions to be measured, how structured you want your day to be, the environments you thrive in, and who you work with.

What should I do after I get my CliftonStrengths results?

Don't stop at just reading them. Read or watch videos on Gallup's definition of each of your Top 5 Talent Themes, even the ones you think you already understand. Then notice how those patterns show up in your day - at work, at home, and in your relationships. Talk about them with people who know you. And consider a workshop, a class, or a coach to help you go deeper.

Conclusion

CliftonStrengths isn't a simple tool. It's comprehensive, and therein lies its power and value to you. With one tool, CliftonStrengths gives you language and insight to describe your Individuality and identify your potential - independent of your past experiences or your current circumstances.

So if you were deterred by any of the mistakes in this article, this is your opportunity to give yourself and your results another chance. I know I needed to revisit the assessment more than once. It took me 15 years and three times taking CliftonStrengths to learn the power and depth my results actually had to offer me. Let me save you the time, the effort, and my mistakes.

Reading your PDF reports isn't enough. It's not enough to superficially know your results.

Live your results.

Take advantage of the lessons in this article and the resources available to you (i.e. books, videos, courses, people) to make the most of your Talents.

Get yourself out of your day-to-day autopilot patterns. Understand what they are and how to constructively change them. Once you get going on your CliftonStrengths journey, you'll know just how you can best (and most easily) do that.

If you'd like support exploring your own results, see how I work with individuals. And if you're thinking about bringing CliftonStrengths to your team, here's how I work with teams.