While it’s easy to recall the last time we had a personality assessment tell us the ways in which we can improve, when is the last time one told you about the ways in which you already have a competitive edge? The CliftonStrengths assessment aims to do just that – a psychological tool developed by the Gallup Organization, this assessment is designed to help individuals identify their unique talents. Rooted in positive psychology, the fundamental premise of the CliftonStrengths assessment is that individuals gain more when they build on their innate talents than when they make comparable efforts to improve their weaknesses.
The CliftonStrengths assessment aims to identify what people naturally do best and helps them harness these strengths to achieve personal and professional success. Unlike traditional personality tests that often focus on identifying areas for improvement, CliftonStrengths shifts that focus. This strengths-based approach aligns with positive psychology, emphasizing well-being, fulfillment, and the enhancement of human potential.
Offering a free version of practically the same assessment, High5 is another tool designed to make the concept of strengths-based development accessible to a broader audience and aiming to empower individuals by helping them discover their top strengths and providing practical strategies to leverage these strengths in everyday life.
The High5 Assessment consists of a series of statements related to different behaviors and preferences that participants respond to on a scale from 0 to 100, indicating how accurately they feel the statement describes them. The assessment is designed to be quick and user-friendly, typically taking about 15 to 20 minutes to complete, and ultimately identifies distinct strengths, categorized into five broader groups: Thinker, Striver, Relater, Arranger, and Influencer. Here is an overview of each strength:
Thinker Strengths
1. Analytical: People with this strength are skilled at breaking down complex problems and situations into smaller, manageable parts. They excel at data analysis and critical thinking, often seeking logical explanations and evidence.
2. Futuristic: Individuals with this strength have a vision for the future and are inspired by the possibilities it holds. They are often forward-thinking, imaginative, and able to anticipate potential outcomes and trends.
3. Strategic: Those with this strength are good at spotting patterns and connections. They excel at developing alternative ways to proceed and quickly can evaluate options to determine the best course of action.
4. Learner: People with this strength have a great desire to learn and continuously improve. They thrive in environments where they can acquire new skills and knowledge, finding joy in the learning process itself.
5. Ideation: Individuals with this strength are fascinated by ideas and concepts. They are creative and innovative, often generating original and novel approaches to recurring challenges.
Striver Strengths
6. Achiever: People with this strength have a constant drive for accomplishing tasks and goals. They are highly productive and motivated by their achievements, always looking for ways to be more efficient and effective.
7. Focus: Those with this strength have a clear sense of direction and purpose. They are adept at setting goals and maintaining concentration on tasks until they are completed.
8. Competition: Individuals with this strength thrive in competitive environments. They are motivated by comparison and strive to outperform others, seeking to be the best in their field.
9. Self-Belief: People with this strength have a strong sense of confidence in their abilities. They trust their judgment and decisions, often taking on challenges with a belief in their capacity to succeed.
10. Activator: Those with this strength are driven to take action. They are often impatient with delays and are eager to turn ideas into reality, motivating others to get started and make progress.
Relater Strengths
11. Empathy: Individuals with this strength can sense the emotions of others. They are compassionate and able to connect deeply with people, often providing support and understanding.
12. Developer: People with this strength recognize and cultivate the potential in others. They enjoy helping others grow and achieve their goals, often taking on a mentoring role.
13. Connectedness: Those with this strength believe in the interconnectedness of all things. They see the bigger picture and understand how different aspects of life and people are linked.
14. Includer: Individuals with this strength are aware of those who feel left out and strive to include them. They are accepting of others and create an environment where everyone feels part of the group.
15. Positive: People with this strength have an optimistic outlook and can see the good in situations and people. They bring enthusiasm and energy to their interactions, often lifting the spirits of those around them.
Arranger Strengths
16. Arranger: Those with this strength are skilled at organizing resources and tasks for maximum efficiency. They are flexible and can quickly adapt to changing situations, making them excellent coordinators.
17. Discipline: Individuals with this strength appreciate structure and order. They are methodical and organized, often creating detailed plans and schedules to ensure tasks are completed efficiently.
18. Restorative: People with this strength enjoy solving problems. They are adept at identifying issues and finding solutions, often restoring systems or processes to their optimal state.
19. Adaptability: Those with this strength are flexible and can easily adjust to new circumstances. They thrive in dynamic environments and can handle unexpected changes with ease.
Influencer Strengths
20. Communication: Individuals with this strength are skilled at expressing ideas and information clearly. They are articulate and persuasive, often excelling in roles that require public speaking or writing.
21. Maximizer: People with this strength focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb, often improving processes or products to achieve higher standards.
22. Woo (Winning Others Over): Those with this strength enjoy meeting new people and winning them over. They are outgoing and sociable, often making connections and building relationships quickly.
Upon completing the High5 Assessment, participants receive a report highlighting their top five strengths alongside a detailed description of each strength, insights into how these strengths manifest in daily life, and suggestions for leveraging them effectively. Unlike CliftonStrengths, which ranks all 34 themes, High5 focuses on the top five to provide a more streamlined and actionable understanding of an individual’s strengths.
After taking the assessment myself, I must admit I was rather impressed with both the process and the results. While 120 questions feels like a daunting process, it really only took me about 15 minutes to complete, yet my results felt spot on. I feel that the assessment successfully captured multiple facets of my personality – listing both commander and philomath for example – in a concise format. It provided insights into both the professional side of my personality as well as the personal side. The insights were easy to understand, and I found them to be more unique than the results I’ve garnered from other assessments. In all, I’d recommend the High5 assessment not only to learn more about your strengths but also to think more critically about yourself on the whole. Self-reflection is a powerful tool to which we often don’t lend enough credit. Perhaps if we reframe self-reflection from an improvement-centric perspective to one of celebration of our natural strengths, we all may find ourselves moved to partake in it more often.
