CliftonStrengths for Employees
At Virginia Tech, we focus on strengths so that employees and students can be intentional about investing in their natural abilities, expanding curiosity, and putting talents to use in the spirit of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).
The Gallup® CliftonStrengths assessment is a tool that helps faculty and staff identify and understand their “Top 5” strengths out of a list of 34 possible themes, enabling further personalized career development, better collaboration with team members, and a heightened ability to offer individual skills to serve to the Virginia Tech community.
What is the CliftonStrengths philosophy?
Global analytics and advice firm Gallup developed CliftonStengths from decades of research on “strengths-based learning,” focused on developing talent, mission-driven work, strong managers, and personal growth.
Prior to a strength-based approach to learning, psychology traditionally focused more on “fixing” an individual’s deficits—concentrating on how to identify and correct perceived weaknesses. Psychologist Donald Clifton, the founder of strengths-based learning, believed that Strengths science answers questions about what's right with people rather than what's wrong. Strengths science focuses on learning more about an individual’s natural gifts and talents, investing time and energy in actively practicing the ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving that make us unique.
Why Virginia Tech does CliftonStrengths
Understanding Strengths provides the Virginia Tech community with a common language for communicating with each other about what to prioritize, as well as how to approach tasks and relationships.
The more faculty and staff understand their Top 5 also helps individuals distinguish between what skills and talents come naturally and skills that may be more challenging to develop. This allows teams and departments to understand how we get things done, and when and where to highlight the many talents, ideas, and experiences offered within the Virginia Tech community.
How to take the CliftonStrengths Assessment
All Virginia Tech faculty and staff may complete the CliftonStrengths assessment for free; log in with your VT username (PID) and password. The assessment takes about 20 minutes. It is timed and you must complete it uninterrupted.
Note: The assessment is not available from the Virginia Tech Strengths portal.
How to access CliftonStrengths Top 5 report
The CliftonStrengths Top 5 report gives faculty and staff a deeper understanding of their Top 5 Strengths based on their responses to the CliftonStrengths assessment.
The CliftonStrengths Top 5 report is available to all faculty and staff who have completed the Strengths assessment via the Virginia Tech Gallup portal.
Employees may use their report to learn more about their Top 5, general information on the 34 Strengths, and more about the members of teams of which they have worked or served.
CliftonStrengths Workshops
Workshops introduce the CliftonStrengths philosophy and are available to any professional or academic department, college, or working group of faculty and staff at Virginia Tech.
These 1-4-hour-long workshops are facilitated by Gallup-certified coaches and Virginia Tech Strengths consultant and are designed in consultation with the person requesting the workshop to meet the specific needs of the individual or group.
Some workshop topic ideas might include:
- How do your Top 5 show up when you’re in a position of leadership?
- How can you leverage your Top 5 to help others be at their best?
- What individual and collective Strengths does your team have to rely on when working together?
- What do you and your team members need to be at your best when working together toward a shared goal?
- How can you and your team members communicate more efficiently and effectively together?
- How are you thinking and talking about your Top 5 in resumes, cover letters, and interviews?
- How can you translate your Top 5 into something hiring managers will understand and get excited about?
- How do your Top 5 impact how you and the people around you approach, and engage in, conversation?
- How can you prepare for and engage in productive and meaningful conversations?
- How have your Top 5 contributed to your sense of well-being?
- How can you aim your Top 5 at improving your sense of well-being if/as needed?
Employees can request a workshop by using the Talent Development request form on the Human Resources service request site. One-time workshops are accommodated. Recurring workshops with the same teams are recommended for more meaningful learning experiences that impact the team long-term.
*Requests must be made at least four weeks in advance of the workshop date. All workshop participants must complete the Strengths assessment by two weeks prior to the workshop date.
Assistance available
8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Email: vttraining@vt.edu
Phone: 540-231-9331