“What Is CliftonStrengths – And Why It Might Be the Best Development Tool You'll Ever Try”

Let me guess—you’ve been told at some point to “work on your weaknesses.”

Maybe it was during a performance review, a well-meaning chat with your manager, or just that inner critic saying, “You’re not great at this—you should sort it out.”

It’s a message so many of us have grown up with. In fact, a lot of workplace development has been built around it. But what if I told you there’s another way? One that doesn’t involve endlessly fixing your flaws—but instead helps you do more of what you’re naturally great at?

That’s what CliftonStrengths is all about. And if you’re anything like me, it might just change the way you think about yourself.

I’ve been working in leadership and development for years. And along the way, I’ve tried lots the psychometric tools. You name it—SHL OPQ32, Myers-Briggs, DiSC… I’ve done loads.

And don’t get me wrong—they all have value. But I’ll be honest, when I first completed CliftonStrengths, something different happened. I read the report and thought:

“Whoa… this is actually me.”

Not a version of me that needed adjusting or rounding out. But the actual way I think, behave and show up in the world—described in a way that felt accurate, empowering, and strangely affirming.

It helped me find better words to describe myself and, perhaps more importantly, to understand others—without judgement. That was a turning point, and it’s why I went on to train as a certified CliftonStrengths coach. Because I wanted to help other people experience that same lightbulb moment.

Where Did CliftonStrengths Come From?

CliftonStrengths started with a deceptively simple question from psychologist Donald Clifton:

“What would happen if we focused on what’s right with people instead of what's wrong with them?”

This question kicked off decades of research at Gallup, leading to the creation of an assessment that identifies your natural talents—the ways you think, feel and behave that come easily to you. When you develop these talents intentionally, they become your strengths.

Instead of telling you what to fix, CliftonStrengths helps you understand what to leverage. It’s about growth—but from a place of authenticity, not correction.

So What Actually Happens?

You take an online assessment (takes around 30–40 minutes), and it reveals your Top 5 strengths—or your full 34 strengths profile, if you want to go deeper. These are the qualities you lead with—the stuff that drives your decisions, your relationships, your energy.

There are 34 themes in total, like Strategic, Empathy, Activator, Learner, Relator—and each person’s combination is uniquely theirs. The odds of someone else having the same Top 5 in your exact order is about 1 in 33 million.

In other words, this is your blueprint.

Why It Works (and Why It Feels So Different)

CliftonStrengths is rooted in positive psychology, which focuses on what helps humans thrive. And that matters, because when we use our strengths intentionally, we tend to be:

• More productive

• More engaged

• More resilient

• Less burned out

Gallup’s research backs this up. People who use their strengths every day are:

• 6x more engaged at work

• 3x more likely to report an excellent quality of life

And from what I’ve seen first-hand with clients, it also brings clarity, confidence and a big shift in how you view yourself and your career.

Why Coaching Makes It Real

Here’s the thing—reading your CliftonStrengths report is brilliant, but it’s just the starting point.

In coaching, I help you:

• Make sense of your results in the context of your life or work

• Understand how your strengths interact—and sometimes get in each other’s way

• Use your strengths to make better choices, manage challenges, and lead with authenticity

• Spot how your strengths show up in others (which is a game-changer in relationships and team dynamics)

It’s not about generic advice. It’s about your strengths, your context, and helping you use what already makes you strong.

What You Might Get Out of Strengths Coaching

🧠 Clarity – about who you are, and how you naturally operate

💬 Language – to talk about yourself with confidence and purpose

📈 Growth – not by fixing weaknesses, but by doubling down on your edge

🤝 Connection – by understanding how to collaborate and lead others better

💡 Energy – from finally doing more of what lights you up

Fancy Giving It a Go?

Whether you’re new to CliftonStrengths or have done it before and want to go deeper, I offer a range of 1:1 coaching packages, team sessions, and leadership development programmes.

The best part? You don’t need to become someone else—you just need to understand and use what’s already there.