CliftonStrengths: Play to Your Strengths - But What About the Rest?
Effective leadership requires a balance between leveraging strengths and addressing weaknesses for optimal team performance and engagement.
Want to be a better leader? Start by knowing your strengths - and your weaknesses. CliftonStrengths is a tool used by over 35 million people and 90% of Fortune 500 companies to identify natural talents across 34 themes, grouped into four domains: Strategic Thinking, Relationship Building, Influencing, and Executing. It helps leaders focus on what they do best, boosting engagement, productivity, and profits.
But here’s the catch: over-relying on strengths can backfire. Blind spots like arrogance, workaholism, or poor communication can hurt teams and organisations. Ignoring weaknesses can lead to disengaged employees, high turnover, and costly mistakes.
Key Takeaways:
- Strengths matter: Teams led by strengths-focused managers see 29% higher profits and 72% lower turnover.
- Weaknesses can’t be ignored: Poor leadership costs UK businesses billions annually in lost productivity and turnover.
- Balance is key: Self-awareness and feedback help leaders manage weaknesses while amplifying strengths.
Want to lead effectively? Build a plan that aligns your strengths with your role, manages weaknesses, and fosters collaboration. CliftonStrengths is just the starting point.
The Strengths-Only Approach: Benefits and Problems
The Benefits: Why Playing to Strengths Works
Focusing on strengths isn’t just a feel-good strategy - it’s backed by solid research. Leaders who understand and actively use their strengths are nearly eight times more productive, six times more likely to feel engaged at work, and 89% more likely to perform above average compared to those who don’t.
"Strengths science answers questions about what's right with people rather than what's wrong with them." – Don Clifton
Organisations that prioritise strengths see measurable results: 19% higher sales, 72% lower turnover, 29% higher profits, and a 23% boost in employee engagement. Teams led by strengths-focused managers are also 8% more productive and 15% less likely to experience turnover.
For employees, working in a strengths-focused environment can be transformative. When individuals use their natural talents, engagement levels soar to 73%. This clarity helps managers assign tasks that fit employees’ strengths, building trust and encouraging collaboration across teams.
However, while focusing on strengths drives success, relying on them too heavily can create its own set of challenges.
The Problems: When Strengths Become Weaknesses
A strengths-only approach isn’t without its risks. Overusing strengths can lead to blind spots, creating vulnerabilities in leadership. This overreliance sometimes mirrors the Dunning–Kruger effect, where confidence in familiar areas can turn into overconfidence, becoming a liability.
The issue arises when strengths are overplayed. Leaders might assume, “If a little is good, more must be better,” but this logic doesn’t always hold. For instance, an Achiever’s relentless drive can slip into workaholism, pushing team members away, while a leader with strong Command might come across as domineering instead of decisive.
Here’s how some common strengths can backfire in practice:
| Strength | Potential Blind Spot | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Achiever | Over-prioritising work over relationships | Becoming withdrawn during intense work periods |
| Command | Bossy | Coming across as insensitive |
| Communication | Talks too much | Impatient with quieter colleagues needing time to think |
| Empathy | Overly emotional | Feeling drained by others’ negativity |
| Focus | Overlooks the bigger picture | Neglecting people in pursuit of goals |
| Harmony | Avoids conflict | Shutting down during disagreements |
| Self-Assurance | Arrogance | Acting like a know-it-all |
| Strategic | Always pivoting | Frustrated by being questioned |
The financial impact of poor management is staggering. Globally, disengaged employees cost businesses £6.8 trillion annually - equivalent to 9% of global GDP. This highlights the importance of recognising and addressing leadership blind spots.
UK Leadership Context: How Strengths Fit
In the UK, leadership often leans towards collaboration and consensus, making it vital to balance strengths with an awareness of their potential downsides. Some strengths, when overused, can clash with these workplace norms. For example, while decisiveness is valued, the directness associated with Command may feel out of place in environments that prioritise consultation. Similarly, leaders with strong Significance themes may struggle in settings that favour humility and team-focused achievements over individual recognition.
"Whilst we judge ourselves by our intention, others judge us by our behaviour." – Kate Jennings, Kate Jennings Coaching
Under pressure, these challenges can become even more pronounced. A leader with strong Communication talents might dominate discussions, unintentionally silencing quieter team members who need more time to process ideas. This behaviour can conflict with the inclusive ethos many UK organisations strive to uphold.
Leadership in the UK often requires a mix of inclusion, self-awareness, and adaptability. Effective leaders understand when to amplify or dial back specific strengths depending on the situation. This concept of "strengths maturity" - the ability to gauge when a natural talent helps or hinders - is particularly crucial in diverse and multicultural workplaces, where communication styles and expectations can vary widely. While no leader can excel in every area, the best teams are those that balance their collective strengths.
Why You Need to Address Weaknesses Too
The Cost of Ignoring Weaknesses
Focusing on strengths is essential for driving performance, but neglecting weaknesses can undo much of that progress. Overlooking flaws, particularly in leadership, can have far-reaching consequences. For instance, 82% of employees admit that poor leadership has negatively affected their job performance. When leaders fail to address their shortcomings, these issues ripple through the entire organisation.
The financial impact of poor leadership is equally concerning. It contributes to a 46% increase in employee turnover and leads to issues like communication breakdowns, lack of empathy, and micromanagement - all of which drain resources. In the UK, where turnover can be particularly costly, these challenges become even more pressing.
"People don't leave bad jobs; they leave bad bosses." – Jeff Burkhart
Communication breakdowns are a major issue in UK workplaces. Nearly half (47%) of employees cite unclear expectations as a key demotivator. In hierarchical organisations like the NHS or traditional financial firms, poor communication from senior leaders can create confusion that trickles down through the ranks. For example, a department head with excellent strategic skills may fail to communicate decisions clearly, leaving middle managers and front-line staff disengaged and uncertain about their roles.
Empathy gaps also take a toll. A staggering 76% of employees say they'd consider leaving their job if they felt their manager lacked empathy. In the UK's diverse workforce, emotional intelligence and cultural awareness are crucial. Leaders who focus solely on results without showing understanding risk alienating their teams.
Micromanagement is another common weakness. Fifty-eight per cent of employees report that micromanagement harms their productivity and job satisfaction. In the UK's knowledge-driven economy, where trust and autonomy are highly valued, leaders who struggle to delegate can stifle creativity and push talented employees to seek opportunities elsewhere.
"Nothing will kill a great employee faster than watching you tolerate a bad one." – Perry Belcher
The psychological impact of poor leadership shouldn't be underestimated either. Toxic environments can lead to anxiety, burnout, and even depression among employees. Alarmingly, over 18 million working days are lost annually in the UK due to bullying, highlighting the severe impact on workplace wellbeing.
Strengths vs. Weaknesses: The Case for Balance
Given the high stakes, leaders must strike a balance between capitalising on their strengths and addressing their weaknesses. This requires a nuanced approach. Research shows a striking gap in self-awareness: while 95% of people believe they are self-aware, only 10–15% actually are. This disconnect often explains why leaders fail to recognise when their strengths start to become liabilities.
Addressing weaknesses doesn't mean striving for perfection but rather avoiding preventable failures. For example, a leader with strong Command skills might recognise a tendency to come across as domineering and make a conscious effort to seek input from quieter team members. Similarly, someone naturally empathetic might find giving tough feedback challenging and work on building frameworks for more effective communication.
"It is vital for leaders to be able to recognise their weaknesses." – Dan Boniface, Head of Training, The BCF Group
Balancing strengths and weaknesses doesn't mean equal effort in all areas. Instead, it involves developing enough competence in weak spots to avoid undermining strengths. A leader doesn't need to become a master communicator but must ensure their messaging is clear enough to prevent the confusion that affects nearly half of employees.
A practical strategy is to build teams that complement your weaknesses while you work on improving critical areas. Leadership is, at its core, about enabling others to succeed. Achieving balance involves regular self-reflection, seeking honest feedback, and fostering an environment where vulnerability strengthens trust and credibility.
The aim isn't to eliminate weaknesses entirely but to ensure they don't overshadow your strengths or create blind spots that harm team performance. By addressing weak areas, leaders open the door for their natural talents to thrive, setting the stage for sustainable and lasting success.
Adam Grant + Marcus Buckingham: Can you Overuse Your Strengths?
How to Build a Balanced Development Plan
Developing a plan that builds on your strengths while addressing areas for improvement requires a thoughtful and structured approach. Striking this balance is key to fostering the growth mindset that drives effective leadership. Here's a practical guide to creating a well-rounded development plan.
Step 1: Conduct a Thorough Skills Audit
A detailed skills audit goes beyond simply reviewing your CliftonStrengths results. It provides a holistic view of your abilities, highlighting both what you excel at and where you may need improvement. According to the World Economic Forum, by 2025, half of the global workforce will require reskilling. This highlights the importance of a thorough assessment.
Start by listing your experiences, qualifications, and skills. A 360-degree feedback process can be especially insightful. By gathering input from peers, direct reports, and supervisors, you gain a balanced perspective on your leadership capabilities. For instance, Bucks New University in the UK implemented a 360-degree feedback initiative to nurture stronger leaders. Within a year, managers noticed tangible improvements in their teams’ performance.
"It is important to ensure that feedback is focused on behaviours and actions, rather than personal characteristics or traits. This can help ensure that feedback is objective and focused on areas that the employee can actually improve upon." – Jonathan Westover, OD/HR/Leadership consultant, Human Capital Innovations
To ensure a comprehensive understanding of your skills, consider using a mix of assessment methods:
| Assessment Method | Description | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-Assessment | Evaluate your own skills | Cost-effective and efficient | Prone to personal bias |
| Managerial Evaluation | Feedback from your manager | Offers real-world insights | May be subjective |
| External Evaluation | Third-party evaluation | Provides impartial expertise | Can be costly and time-heavy |
Use performance reviews to align your personal goals with organisational priorities. This process helps turn raw feedback into actionable insights, enabling you to pinpoint your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth.
Once you’ve completed your skills audit, the next step is to align your strengths with your work environment to maximise their impact.
Step 2: Match Your Strengths to Your Environment
Knowing your strengths is only the first step. The real challenge lies in aligning them with your workplace context to achieve meaningful results. In the UK, where collaboration is increasingly prioritised, this alignment can significantly influence success.
Research shows that teams focusing on strengths experience higher engagement, improved performance, better retention, and reduced attrition. Employees who actively use their strengths are six times more engaged at work.
Reflect on how your top CliftonStrengths themes fit into your current role. For example, someone with a strong Command theme might excel in crisis situations but may need to adapt their leadership style in consensus-driven environments. Similarly, a leader with Empathy might shine in people management but face challenges when making difficult business decisions.
Take inspiration from the University of Westminster's Digital Transformation Team, which adopted a strengths-based approach to enhance collaboration and performance. By setting shared objectives and aligning individual talents with team goals, they created a more engaged and effective workforce.
To keep this alignment dynamic, establish regular feedback loops to reassess roles and responsibilities as new strengths emerge.
With your strengths effectively aligned, it’s time to address weaknesses to maintain balanced performance.
Step 3: Develop Strategies to Manage Weaknesses
Managing weaknesses isn’t about trying to turn them into strengths. Instead, it’s about minimising their impact so they don’t overshadow your natural talents. This often involves building compensatory systems or developing enough competence in these areas to avoid disruption.
"Weaknesses are the specific behaviours that prevent people from realising the full impact of (and return on) the expression of their strengths." – Gallup
Start by identifying your weaknesses and assessing their impact on your team and organisation. For instance, a leader who excels at strategic thinking might struggle with follow-through, leaving their team unclear on next steps. In such cases, regular check-ins or partnering with someone skilled in execution can help bridge the gap.
Delegating tasks to team members whose strengths complement your weaknesses is another practical approach. Being open about your development areas fosters trust and transparency.
For weaknesses that cannot be delegated, consider targeted leadership training to build critical skills. Clear communication about your development plan ensures your team understands and supports your efforts, creating a more cohesive and productive work environment.
Conclusion: Using CliftonStrengths with a Growth Mindset
This article has explored how effective leadership thrives when strengths are balanced with an honest understanding of weaknesses. CliftonStrengths provides a solid starting point for leadership development, especially when paired with a growth mindset that focuses on building strengths while managing vulnerabilities. The goal isn’t to choose between the two but to find a harmony that amplifies your natural talents while addressing potential blind spots.
Research highlights the power of focusing on strengths: individuals who use their strengths daily are six times more likely to be engaged at work and three times more likely to report a high quality of life. However, this doesn’t imply weaknesses should be ignored. As Don Clifton, the mind behind the CliftonStrengths assessment, wisely stated:
"There is no alchemy for weakness. They can be removed but they cannot be transformed into strengths. The goal, therefore, is to manage weaknesses so the strengths can be freed to develop and become so powerful they make the weaknesses irrelevant."
At the heart of this approach is self-awareness. Truly understanding your strengths means recognising not only what you excel at but also how these qualities influence others and where they might create challenges. This insight allows you to maximise your abilities while putting strategies in place to manage weaker areas. Such self-awareness not only drives personal growth but also enhances team performance.
Successful leaders know that adaptability is key. While CliftonStrengths offers a clear guide to your talents, applying them effectively requires flexibility to meet varying team dynamics, organisational priorities, and situational demands. Acknowledging your limitations and inviting others to contribute their skills fosters trust and creates an environment where collective strengths shine.
Ultimately, CliftonStrengths is a starting point, not the destination. To lead effectively, invest in your natural talents, but combine this with honest self-reflection, constructive feedback, and thoughtful planning to address areas that could hinder your impact. In the UK leadership landscape, this balanced mindset is essential for creating engaged and resilient teams. Leaders who embrace this approach cultivate authenticity and adaptability - qualities that are indispensable in today’s workplace.
FAQs
How can leaders use their strengths while addressing areas for improvement to enhance team performance?
Leaders can strike a balance between their strengths and areas needing improvement by encouraging open communication and prioritising ongoing development. Actively inviting feedback from their team provides valuable perspectives on their performance and highlights areas where they can grow. Addressing these aspects not only sharpens their leadership abilities but also fosters trust and respect among team members.
At the same time, it’s crucial for leaders to focus on making the most of their strengths to motivate and guide their teams effectively. Recognising the unique talents within the group and promoting collaboration allows them to build a dynamic, high-performing team where each individual’s skills complement the others seamlessly.
How can I address my weaknesses while still building on my strengths?
To handle weaknesses while building on your strengths, the first step is to cultivate self-awareness. Take some time to pinpoint the areas where you face challenges and consider how they might affect your work. Reflect honestly, and don’t hesitate to ask for constructive feedback from colleagues or mentors you trust.
Once you’ve identified these areas, focus on using your strengths to counterbalance them. Lean into the skills you excel at and think creatively about how they can help manage your challenges. For instance, if you’re more of a big-picture thinker and less detail-focused, team up with someone who thrives on precision. You could also set clear, manageable goals and use tools or systems to stay on top of areas where you feel less confident.
Adopting a growth mindset is key. By committing to learning and improving, you can address weaknesses without letting them define you. This approach helps you create a more balanced and effective path for both personal and professional development.
How does leadership in the UK shape the use of CliftonStrengths in workplaces?
In the UK, leadership often highlights teamwork, inclusivity, and prioritising employee well-being. This perspective aligns seamlessly with the CliftonStrengths approach, which emphasises leveraging individual talents to boost team performance. By recognising and celebrating the unique abilities of team members, leaders can create an atmosphere where strengths-based development thrives.
Leadership in the UK is typically less rigid and more collaborative, encouraging open dialogue about both strengths and areas for improvement. This participatory style aligns with a growth mindset, helping to address potential blind spots that may arise from focusing solely on strengths. By embedding CliftonStrengths into this inclusive and participative culture, organisations can create teams that are not only more unified but also better equipped to manage both their strengths and challenges effectively.