Using Clifton Strengths Finder with Teams
Introduction
In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, cultivating high-performing teams is vital. Among the many tools and methods available, CliftonStrengths—formerly known as Gallup StrengthsFinder—is effective, fun and affordable.
This comprehensive guide delves into the profound impact of CliftonStrengths on team dynamics, exploring how it can be used, unveiling common strengths, understanding its insights, assessing team dynamics, and addressing accessibility.
The CliftonStrengths assessment identifies our natural talents and preferences. For more information about what we mean by strengths, see here.
By embracing the CliftonStrengths framework, teams discover their inherent strengths, cultivate synergy, and propel themselves towards further success.
This comprehensive guide delves into the profound impact of CliftonStrengths on team dynamics, exploring how it can be used, unveiling common strengths, understanding its insights, assessing team dynamics, and addressing accessibility.
The CliftonStrengths assessment identifies our natural talents and preferences. For more information about what we mean by strengths, see here.
By embracing the CliftonStrengths framework, teams discover their inherent strengths, cultivate synergy, and propel themselves towards further success.
Harnessing the Power of CliftonStrengths within Teams
Strengths Finder® is an online psychometric tool used by millions of people globally to identify their natural talents and what they do best.
Through a series of online questions, the Clifton Strengths Finder® identifies the top strengths of your team members from a list of 34 unique strengths grouped into four domains: - Executing - Influencing - Relationship Building - Strategic Thinking. It was originally developed by Gallup and Don Clifton, and is now known as StrengthsFinder or Clifton Strengths. For more information see here.
Using strengths finder in teams starts a journey of what many describe as 'game-changing'. When we are using our strengths it doesn't feel so much like work, which helps individual and team performance.
Through carefully designed workshops and personalized assessments, teams learn about their unique strengths and how to use them effectively to achieve the team's goals. Embracing the CliftonStrengths framework fosters a culture where every team member's contributions are not just recognized but celebrated.
These team building workshops provide a safe space for team members to explore and understand their own, and each others' strengths fully. Through interactive activities, engaging discussions, and real-life examples, team members not only gain clarity on their individual strengths but also discover how to apply them in their daily interactions and tasks. Facilitators experienced in the intricacies of CliftonStrengths guide teams through this process, nurturing an environment of trust and open communication.
Using CliftonStrengths to build psychological safety in a team
Team psychological safety is a shared belief held by members of a team that it’s OK to take risks, to express their ideas and concerns, to speak up with questions, and to admit mistakes — all without fear of negative consequences (Amy Edmondson).
Using an approach such as CliftonStrengths provides a common language to understand similarities and differences within the team, how this helps the team and where it causes inevitable tension. Having differences in a team is a good thing, harnessing these very different talents builds more effective teams. Finding a joint language to articulate these differences, and the impact of these, is vital to keep conversations productive and forward moving. CliftonStrengths provides this.
The Core Four CliftonStrengths Domains:
There are 34 Cliftonstrengths themes which are categorised into four domains: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. Each category encompasses a diverse array of strengths, offering teams a comprehensive toolkit for achieving their objectives. By understanding these categories, teams can appreciate their wide-ranging talents and leverage them effectively to navigate challenges and seize opportunities.
The four categories of Gallup Strengths provide a framework for understanding the broad spectrum of the team's strengths, talents and capabilities.
Executing strengths encompass traits such as reliability, consistency, and attention to detail, which are crucial for translating ideas into action and driving results.
Influencing strengths, on the other hand, revolve around persuasion, communication, and the ability to inspire others, making them invaluable for rallying support and garnering buy-in for initiatives.
Relationship Building strengths focus on fostering connections, building trust, and nurturing collaboration, laying the groundwork for strong interpersonal relationships and cohesive teamwork.
Finally, Thinking strengths encompass skills such as analytical thinking, innovation, and foresight, enabling teams to anticipate trends, identify opportunities, and chart a course for the future.
By understanding the unique contributions of each strength category, teams can leverage their combined talents to overcome challenges, capitalise on opportunities, and achieve their goals with greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Assessing Team Effectiveness
Evaluating team dynamics is essential for maximising performance and team culture. For every team we work with we build a Team Strengths Grid, the assessing the different strengths of the team.
By using tools such as CliftonStrengths assessments and facilitated discussions, teams gain clarity on their collective capabilities and areas for improvement. This process enables teams to strategically allocate tasks, capitalise on strengths, identify key partnerships and address any gaps through targeted development initiatives, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and growth.
Strengths based leadership
A strengths based approach shows how our strengths can be used to develop our leadership skills, capability and behaviours, making us more effective leaders.
What about addressing weaknesses and team gaps?
Understanding what we call the 'shadow-sides' of strengths is also really important. Strengths are a bit like coffee, the right amount is great, too much can cause detrimental effects to us or others. Under pressure we can overplay our strengths. At the point when we need to dial them down, we crank them right up!
Self-awareness is key to keeping strengths as strengths.
Team members explore not only their own strengths and shadow-sides but also how these strengths complement those of their colleagues. Through structured exercises and simulations, teams gain insights into their collective strengths and weaknesses, identifying areas where collaboration can be enhanced and potential blind spots managed. This makes it much easier to address and resolve conflict, and other difficult issues that may be holding the team back.
This holistic approach to team assessment lays the foundation for more effective communication, decision-making, and problem-solving, ultimately driving improved performance and outcomes.
Insights Unveiled: Understanding the Nuances of StrengthsFinder
Clifton StrengthsFinder offers profound insights into individuals' strengths. Through the assessment process, team members gain invaluable self-awareness, discovering how their strengths shape their perspectives and behaviors. Armed with this knowledge, teams can tailor their approaches, harnessing each member's strengths to achieve collective goals and drive organisational success
How to make the changes stick
The CliftonStrengths assessment isn't just a one-time event; it's a catalyst for ongoing growth and development. Beyond simply identifying their top strengths, team members delve into the nuances of each strength, exploring how it manifests in different contexts and how it can be leveraged to overcome challenges. Discussions and feedback further enhance this process, providing valuable insights and perspectives from diverse vantage points. As team members deepen their understanding of their strengths, they become more adept at navigating complex situations, leading to increased confidence and resilience.
Following any facilitated-work teams are shown how to weave the Strengths-based language into their day to day conversations to increase team productivity, build a healthy culture and provide a decent return on investment.
5. Accessibility and Cost Considerations: Making CliftonStrengths Inclusive:
Many organisations find that CliftonStrengths offers great value - a combination of it being one of the lowest price psychometrics on the market, together with one of the most respected and long-standing.
The investment in CliftonStrengths can provide a significant impact on team performance, engagement, and organisational culture, making it a valuable asset for any organisation. For more information see here.
Beyond traditional CliftonStrengths assessments, organisations can explore various tools to enhance team effectiveness and diversity. These include online forums, discussion groups, self-paced learning modules, and webinars, offering diverse opportunities for teams to delve deeper into the CliftonStrengths framework.
Conclusion
In conclusion, CliftonStrengths emerges as a cornerstone of team empowerment and collaboration in today's fast-paced business landscape. By embracing the CliftonStrengths framework, teams can unlock their innate potential, foster collaboration, and drive organisational success.
If you'd like an informal discussion on how Clifton Strengths can help elevate the performance and culture of your team do contact me.
If you’re interested in finding out how Clifton Strengths Finder can build your team culture and performance please contact me for a chat.
Kate Jennings