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Clifton Strengths & Career Development

ACHIEVER

People exceptionally talented in the Achiever theme work hard and possess a great deal of stamina. They take immense satisfaction in being busy and productive.

Bring: intensity and stamina of effort
Need: freedom to work at my own pace

ACTIVATOR

People exceptionally talented in the Activator theme can make things happen by turning thoughts into action. They want to do things now, rather than simply talk about them.

Bring: a catalytic sense of urgency
Need: less discussion, more action

ADAPTABILITY

People exceptionally talented in the Adaptability theme prefer to go with the flow. They tend to be “now” people who take things as they come and discover the future one day at a time.

Bring: a willingness to follow the lead of change
Need: present pressures that demand an immediate responsee

ANALYTICAL

People exceptionally talented in the Analytical theme search for reasons and causes. They have the ability to think about all of the factors that might affect a situation.

Bring: dispassionate thinking to emotional issues
Need: time to think

ARRANGER

People exceptionally talented in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that complements this ability. They like to determine how all of the pieces and resources can be arranged for maximum productivity.

Bring: flexibility and interactivity
Need: a dynamic environment

BELIEF

People exceptionally talented in the Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for their lives.

Bring: values stability, clarity, conviction
Need: a cause or purpose for which to live

COMMAND

People exceptionally talented in the Command theme have presence. They can take control of a situation and make decisions.

Bring: emotional clarity
Need: challenges and conflicts

COMMUNICATION

People exceptionally talented in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters.

Bring: attention to messages thatmust be heard
Need: a sounding board, an audience

COMPETITION

People exceptionally talented in the Competition theme measure their progress against the performance of others. They strive to win first place and revel in contests.

Bring: an aspiration to be the best
Need: peers for comparison and motivation

CONNECTEDNESS

People exceptionally talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links among all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has meaning.

Bring: an appreciation of the mystery and wonder of life and all creation
Need: to be part of something bigger than myself — a family, team, global community

CONSISTENCY

People exceptionally talented in the Consistency theme are keenly aware of the need to treat people the same. They crave stable routines and clear rules and procedures that everyone can follow.

Bring: rules and policies that promotecultural predictability
Need: standard operating procedures

CONTEXT

People exceptionally talented in the Context theme enjoy thinking about the past. They understand the present by researching its history.

Bring: accurate memories and valuable memorabilia
Need: relevant background fordiscussions and decisionsE

DELIBERATIVE

People exceptionally talented in the Deliberative theme are best described by the serious care they take in making decisions or choices. They anticipate obstacles.

Bring: a thorough and conscientious approach
Need: time to listen and think beforebeing expected to speak

DEVELOPER

People exceptionally talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from evidence of progress.

Bring: a commitment — time and energy — to human growth
Need: someone to invest in

DISCIPLINE

People exceptionally talented in the Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure. Their world is best described by the order they create.

Bring: precision and detail orientation
Need: a structured and organizedenvironment

EMPATHY

People exceptionally talented in the Empathy theme can sense other people’s feelings by imagining themselves in others’ lives or situations.

Bring: emotional intelligence
Need: freedom to laugh, cry, vent

FOCUS

People exceptionally talented in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. They prioritize, then act.

Bring: clarity through concentration and direction
Need: a goal to establish priorities

FUTURISTIC

People exceptionally talented in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. They energize others with their visions of the future.

Bring: previews, predication, forecasts
Need: opportunities to talk about the foreseen future

HARMONY

People exceptionally talented in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don’t enjoy conflict; rather, they seek areas of agreement.

Bring: a peace-loving, conflict resistant approach
Need: areas of agreement, common ground

IDEATION

People exceptionally talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena.

Bring: new and fresh perspectives
Need: freedom to explore possibilities without restraints or limits

INCLUDER

People exceptionally talented in the Includer theme accept others. They show awareness of those who feel left out and make an effort to include them.

Bring: a high level of tolerance with and acceptance of diversity
Need: room for everyone

INDIVIDUALIZATION

People exceptionally talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how different people can work together productively.

Bring: an understanding of people that is valuable for placement
Need: individual expectations that are created to fit a person

INPUT

People exceptionally talented in the Input theme have a need to collect and archive. They may accumulate information, ideas, artifacts or even relationships.

Bring: tangible tools that can facilitate growth and performance
Need: space to store the resources I naturally acquire

INTELLECTION

People exceptionally talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.

Bring: depth of understanding and wisdom
Need: time for reflection and meditation

LEARNER

People exceptionally talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. The process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.

Bring: a learning perspective and excitement for the learning process
Need: exposure to new information and experiences

MAXIMIZER

People exceptionally talented in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb.

Bring: a quality orientation
Need: quality to be valued as much as quantity

POSITIVITY

People exceptionally talented in the Positivity theme have contagious enthusiasm. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.

Bring: contagious energy and enthusiasm
Need: freedom to experience the joy and drama of life

RELATOR

People exceptionally talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.

Bring: social depth and transparency
Need: time and opportunities for one on-one interactions

RESPONSIBILITY

People exceptionally talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.

Bring: dependability and loyalty
Need: freedom to take ownership

RESTORATIVE

People exceptionally talented in the Restorative theme are adept at dealing with problems. They are good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it.

Bring: courage and creativity to problematic situations
Need: problems that must be solved

SELF-ASSURANCE

People exceptionally talented in the Self-Assurance theme feel confident in their ability to take risks and manage their own lives. They have an inner compass that gives them certainty in their decisions.

Bring: a willingness to take necessary risks
Need: freedom to act unilaterally and independently

SIGNIFICANCE

People exceptionally talented in the Significance theme want to make a big impact. They are independent and prioritize projects based on how much influence they will have on their organization or people around them.

Bring: a desire for wanting and producing more
Need: an appreciative audience that will bring out my best

STRATEGIC

People exceptionally talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.

Bring: creative anticipation, imagination, persistence
Need: freedom to make midcourse corrections

WOO

People exceptionally talented in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with someone.

Bring: energy to social situations
Need: social variability