So you took the CliftonStrengths assessment. Now what?
Well, first, if you previously took the StrengthsFinder assessment, know that it and CliftonStrengths are the same thing. CliftonStrengths is just its new name. I get asked the question every now and then, and you may have asked yourself ‘what’s next?’ after taking the assessment. The assessment itself is an experience like no other because it produces such accurate results – YOUR results – YOU. Plus, you get all this knowledge about who you are and read through your strengths assessment results. Now it’s time to find out what to do with all of that knowledge.
Maybe you’ve been wondering:
What’s next?
My results make sense somewhat, but what do I do with this information now?
That’s the million-dollar question and I have an answer for you.
Don’t Put Your Strengths Assessment Results Back on the Shelf
Understanding your talents is a little like having book knowledge. When you read a book you gain an understanding of something that’s really interesting that you might find useful to you. Typically, you close the book and you might put it on your desk with the intention of getting to it later.
Then you end up putting some papers on top of it and eventually, you clean off your desk and put the book on the shelf. Maybe the book sparks your interest some time in the future and motivates you to pick it back up again. Maybe it doesn’t.
One of my biggest frustrations is that people simply take the assessment, learn a little and put on the shelf. There’s a huge missed opportunity when we let our assessment results sit on the desk or collect dust on the shelf by not doing anything with them. Just like with an unused book, it can become untapped potential and untapped possibility.
To avoid this, you’ll need to intentionally develop a skill related to your talents, acquire knowledge about it, and gain a solid understanding of it. Then you put it into practice. Until you actually use it in your life, it will remain a talent and not a strength.
Get Clarity With Coaching
Most of us have, by hook or by crook, kind of stumbled into how we’re wired as a result of growing up and becoming more self-aware. But it’s probably been a bit painful sometimes. And there’s always room to grow and improve in those areas, and to align ourselves more effectively and intentionally to our natural way of being – our natural wiring. This is the way our brains are built and the people we are wired to be. That’s why receiving coaching for your strengths assessment results can be so useful for people because it helps contextualize these skills into your life, your relationships, your work.
Taking the assessment is the first step. It gets you your results. However, you have to do something with this knowledge and apply it to your everyday life to better yourself and the lives of those around you.
This helps you lean into those dynamics based on who you are, not who you may have been told you are by someone else. And it’s great when other people in your life take the CliftonStrengths assessment so you can learn more about their talents, what’s great about them, and how to interact with them most effectively as yourself, based on who they are. This newfound clarity can help avoid conflict and boost authenticity and confidence.
When we understand the root of conflict and that two talents may be conflicting, we can step back, examine it, and alter our course. The other person can alter their course a little bit and we can work together much more effectively. We use your strengths assessment results to focus on how your talents can impact your life. We’ll delve deep into helping you lean into who you truly are – how you’re wired, not how you’re weird – and help you fine-tune you so that you can live the most fulfilled and passion-filled life possible. How about giving it a shot? I’d love to talk with you.
