What are the most common CliftonStrengths?
Clients and friends often ask me about their CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) results and wonder if their top Strengths, or as Gallup Calls them, themes are common or rare. Let’s explore the data to see what this means for you:
Most Common CliftonStrengths
Achiever stands out in two key ways:
It’s the most common theme to appear in the Top 5—about 1 in 3 people have Achiever among their Top 5.
It’s also the most frequent #1 theme for both men and women.
Other themes that frequently appear in the Top 5 include Learner, Responsibility, Relator, and Strategic.
LEAST common CliftonStrengths
The themes least likely to show up in the Top 5 are Self-Assurance, Command, Significance, Discipline, and Context.
What are the most common CliftonStrengths?
This chart shows how often each CliftonStrengths theme appears in the Top 5 of nearly 22 million people. For example, "Achiever" is in the Top 5 for 31% of participants, while "Self-Assurance" appears for only 4%. This highlights the unique strengths each person brings.
Source: Gallup
So, What does this mean for you?
As an individual
Chances are you have at least one of these common themes in your top 5: Achiever, Learner, Responsibility, and Relator. Even if you have a common strength like Achiever in your Top 5, your strengths profile is still unique. With 278,256 possible combinations of Top 5 themes, each profile is different, shaping how each of your strengths shows up for you.
For instance, someone with Achiever and Relator may focus on achieving through strong connections, while Achiever and Strategic might emphasize long-term planning. Your unique combination shapes how you approach challenges, relationships, and opportunities. You can explore these interactions through the new Top 5 CliftonStrengths Report.
As a team
Just as with individuals, it’s likely that in aggregate your team or company holds one of these themes among it’s Top 5. A Gallup certified coach can help you create a team summary report to identify the trends in the aggregate resuts.
Now What?
Ready to understand how your strengths work together? Curious about what strengths are present in your team? I invite you to book a free coaching session here.
