Taking the CliftonStrengths assessment is fairly easy:

1. Visit https://www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/Purchase/en-US/Product and select "Top 5 CliftonStrengths Access (US $19.99)" from the Gallup Strengths Center Store, then continue to checkout.

2. Choose "New User - Register Now" and follow the onscreen instructions to create a Gallup Strengths Center account.

 

3. Continue the process by entering in payment information and completing your purchase.  Keep in mind that this is likely the best $20 you will ever spend in your life...

4. Finally, you will be able to take the CliftonStrengths assessment. Please give yourself 25 minutes of uninterrupted time to complete it (there is no way to pause the assessment so be sure you can be left alone while taking it).

The Clifton Strengths Finder 2.0 is a set of 177 paired statements for which you have 20 seconds per pair to select the one that most resembles whom you think you are.  For example, a question might ask if you prefer to stay home and invite a small group of good friends over or attend a party where you will meet lots of new and interesting people.  You choose along a scale which you prefer the most – you can use “neutral” as a choice if you dislike both equally or very much like both equally (i.e., you can’t decide).  Be cautious of choosing “neutral” too many times (more than 25), or your results will void, and it will force you to retake the assessment. 

After completing the questions, your answers are analyzed, and the results are returned listing your top five strengths from a list of 34 strengths themes.  The assessment will take about 25 minutes to complete and must be finished at one time.   

 

As you see your results in the center of your dashboard, look to the right side in the "Reports and Tools" for the one named "Strengths Insight Guide."  This report is heavily customized for you – it looks at ALL 34 of your talents to give you a personalized summary of how Gallup thinks your Top Five Talents show up for you and how you use them to achieve positive outcomes at work and in your life.

 

Our favorite exercise with this report is to print the Strengths Insight Guide and then read the generic theme description and your personalized insights.  While you are reading your assessment results, make note of what particularly resonated for you in the results? Picture yourself through another person's eyes -- can you see any words or phrases that they'd use to describe you?  Circle/highlight a few items per strength that are very true for you.