One of the most common reasons teams contact me to run CliftonStrengths workshops is this: they want to strengthen team spirit and help team members get to know each other from a different perspective.
But very often, the real value of these conversations lies somewhere else.
Business and HR leaders are not just looking for a one-off “feel-good event”. They’re looking for a practical way to help their teams communicate better, understand each other better, and manage pressure and workload more effectively.
Now, I’m normally not a big fan of psychometrics.
Many of these tools can feel like they place people in boxes that are a little too neat, and a little too tight for comfort.
That hasn’t been my experience with CliftonStrengths.
I first encountered it while recovering from a burnout eleven years ago. It gave me a new perspective on how I show up in the world. More importantly, it didn’t make me feel boxed in. Instead, it opened up a conversation with my coach at the time, Gaby Lederer-Ganse, about some of my natural talents—and allowed me to define for myself how they show up in the world, while recognising that this is only one piece of the much larger puzzle of “who I am”.
That experience led me to become a certified CliftonStrengths coach through Gallup (the organisation behind the assessment). I also became the first (and only) certified internal coach at my former employer. Back then, there was little demand for CliftonStrengths. Most teams opted for the DISC profile instead, which I personally disliked (but that’s a topic for another post…).
Then COVID hit. And suddenly, many line managers were looking for new ways to bring their teams together during a very challenging period.
Common criticisms to CliftonStrengths
Now, I’m well aware that CliftonStrengths has its critics.
Sometimes I see people question its validity, even though Gallup is considered to be a highly reputable and trusted source for public opinion polling, social research, and workplace analytics, and is known for its rigorous scientific methods. Having said that, I do concede that many of the validation studies have been conducted and reported by Gallup itself, rather than independent academic researchers, which may understandably lead to some skepticism.
However, a much more common critique I’ve seen is that it’s “too positive”—that it only talks about strengths and ignores weaknesses.
So let’s dispel that myth right away.
CliftonStrengths is not just about strengths.
What actually happens in a CliftonStrengths workshop
When I do individual report debriefs and run team strengths workshops, we certainly explore your strengths—i.e., your preferred ways to get things done, influence, analyse information, make decisions, and build relationships. In other words, the lenses through which you see and interact with the world around you.
But we also look at something equally important: how those same strengths can sometimes get in the way. How they can drive you—and other people—crazy when they are overused or go on “overdrive”.
- The colleague whose stamina and drive for getting things done start making it feel like work matters more than people.
- The colleague who keeps analysing when others want to decide.
- The one who pushes for action while others still want to manage risks.
- The one who keeps changing targets and plans when others just want to move forward with “a” plan.
We also explore the themes at the bottom of your report—the ones that don’t come as naturally to you but may come very naturally to others on the team.
Looking at these perspectives helps teams understand why tensions or friction may arise—especially in times of pressure and stress.
What looks like a personality problem in teams might be strengths colliding...
And because we look at all of this through a strengths lens, even conversations about weaknesses become constructive. Why? Because the focus shifts from deficiency to difference, and from blame to understanding.
When teams become aware of these dynamics, it becomes much easier to assume positive intent and give each other the benefit of the doubt when things go sideways.
So, to answer my own question…
Are CliftonStrengths team workshops worth it?
After having designed and led many CliftonStrengths team workshops, yes—I do believe they are worth it.
While psychometrics as a scientific discipline is complex and debated, the value of tools like CliftonStrengths in my work lies more in creating structured conversations that help teams understand and collaborate with each other.
But this comes with a caveat.
If a strengths workshop is treated as a one-off exercise, you and your team may end up investing a substantial amount of time and money simply to have “a good time”. And there is certainly value in that!
However, if you want more sustainable results and a real impact, you want to find ways to embed the strengths philosophy into your way of working as a team.
It then becomes a marathon, not a sprint.
That starts with each team member truly understanding and owning their individual CliftonStrengths report—whether they do so with the help of a coach, through their own exploration of the many online resources available, or both.
Just as importantly, the conversation needs to stay alive within the team.
How you may ask?
That will be the topic of my next blog post on the topic.
Now, it’s your turn…
If you’ve been part of a CliftonStrengths team workshop, I’d love to hear: what worked? what didn’t?
If you’ve taken CliftonStrengths yourself, I’d love to know: what surprised you most when you first saw your results?
And, if you’re curious about what a strengths conversation could open up for you or your team, feel free to reach out. No obligation—just a conversation about what new perspectives and opportunities this kind of exploration might offer.
With love,
Dina 🫶🏽
PS : all em dashes are my own.
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