Myers-Briggs vs CliftonStrengths: Which Personality Power-Up Is Right for You?
Whenever I start coaching a new manager, one of the first things they often ask me is this:
“Should I take the Myers-Briggs test? I’ve heard it’s a great way to understand my leadership style.”
In the same breath, new managers also ask me this question, too:
“What about CliftonStrengths? I see a lot of companies using that. How is it different?”
It never surprises me to hear curiosity in both of these assessment frameworks. It’s only natural to want to know more about yourself as you start managing a team so you can show up with confidence and bring the best out of each individual.
In fact, asking these questions is a sign that you’re self-aware, that you care about your new responsibilities, and that you’re eager to learn and grow! And while both tests have their merits, there are nuances in their frameworks that you’ll want to be aware of.
In this article, I’ll break down the differences between the Myers-Briggs and CliftonStrengths assessments, exploring what each framework offers so you can make an informed decision on which one is the best fit for you.
Let’s dive in!
Understanding the basics: What exactly are these tests?
You’ve probably heard of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment (MBTI), which sorts people into 16 personality types (like ENTJ or INFP). It’s been around for decades and is widely used in workplaces for team-building and for understanding yourself.
On the other hand, the Gallup CliftonStrengths Assessment (formerly StrengthsFinder) identifies your unique talents and natural strengths, showing you how to leverage what you’re naturally good at so you can become a more effective leader, team member, and individual contributor.
OVERVIEW
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): Personality in a box?
The Myers-Briggs assessment sorts people into 16 personality types based on four key dimensions. These dimensions are:
Introversion (I) vs. Extraversion (E): Do you get energy from being alone or around others?
Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N): Do you focus on concrete details or big-picture ideas?
Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F): Do you make decisions logically or based on emotions?
Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P): Do you prefer structure and plans, or do you go with the flow?
Once you take the test, you’re assigned a four-letter type, like ENTJ (The Commander) or ISFP (The Adventurer), which often acts as a label for your personality.
Many organizations use Myers-Briggs at work for things like career guidance, team-building exercises and self-awareness workshops. But, while fun and insightful, many people perceive the assessment as too rigid and too high-level because it often puts you into a fixed category rather than showing how you can develop your leadership skillset.
OVERVIEW
Gallup CliftonStrengths: A map for leadership growth
The Gallup CliftonStrengths Assessment (formerly StrengthsFinder) takes a completely different approach. Instead of putting you in a personality box, it identifies your natural talents and helps you figure out how to use them to be more effective at work.
Here’s how the StrengthsFinder assessment works:
The test measures 34 distinct talent themes — such as Strategic, Communication, Achiever, Empathy and others — to help you understand what Gallup calls “Your Talent DNA.”
The themes, which sort into four broader domains, are a culmination of decades of research originated by psychologist Don Clifton to study and categorize the talents of the world's most successful people.
Instead of ranking you into one of 16 personality types, CliftonStrengths gives you a unique and customized profile based on your personal strengths.
Your top Strengths tell you where you naturally excel and how you can lean into those talents to become a stronger leader.
CliftonStrengths is widely used in leadership training, performance coaching, team collaboration and workplace culture development. And unlike the Myers-Briggs assessment (which focuses on describing your traits) CliftonStrengths is about taking action based on what comes easily and naturally to you, helping you grow into your role and become the leader you want to be.
What you need to know about costs and certifications
As a new manager, it goes without saying that you want to make the best investment not only in your own growth, but in the growth of your team, too. Therefore, it’s vitally important you understand the financial commitment behind each assessment.
If you’re looking for a free option for a large team, MBTI (specifically the 16 Personalities version) is a budget-friendly way to build basic self-awareness. It provides an overview of how you think and interact with the world based on broad personality preferences.
However, if you’re ready to invest in a deeper, more research-backed approach, CliftonStrengths is worth it. With more than 50 years of research, this assessment delivers personalized insights tailored to your unique strengths.
Unlike MBTI, where all “S” types or “N” types are described the same way, CliftonStrengths customizes results based on your entire profile. For example, if both you and a colleague have Relator in your strengths, your reports will differ based on where it ranks in your Top 5 and how it interacts with your other strengths. The level of detail makes it far more individualized than MBTI.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the costs and certification options for the MBTI and CliftonStrengths assessments.
COSTS AND CERTIFICATION
Myers-Briggs assessment cost and certification
The Myers-Briggs assessment is a relatively affordable option, especially if you’re just looking to take it for personal insights.
It typically costs between $50 to $100 USD to complete the test.
If you’re considering certification (perhaps you’re in HR or leadership development), however, it’s a different story.
Their four-day, instructor-led public MBTI certification program costs approximately $2,995 USD per person. Of course, this changes depending on the provider and your location.
Here’s my recommendation:
If you’re not planning to become a coach or facilitator, there’s little need to pursue MBTI certification. And if you’re just curious about your personality type, the free online knockoff versions floating around can give you a similar experience to the paid assessment (see this free 16Personalities test).
COSTS AND CERTIFICATION
CliftonStrengths assessment cost and certification
By comparison, some think CliftonStrengths is a more budget-friendly yet more robust option, making it great for new managers looking to develop their hard and soft leadership skills without breaking the bank.
You can take the basic Gallup CliftonStrengths Assessment for just $24.99 USD (giving you insight into your Top 5 Strengths).
If you want the full picture of all 34 talent themes (which we always recommended), the expanded version costs $59.99 USD. This is similar to the cost of the Myers-Briggs assessment, except that this report provides you with much deeper insights into what your strengths are and how you can use them at work.
Gallup has also tailored their CliftonStrength’s reports for various job functions (and for students!), and for $50 USD you can get a report specific for new managers and leaders and even those who work in sales.
With regards to certification, this is available for leadership coaches (I’m a CliftonStrengths-certified leadership coach!), but it’s not required for individuals who just want to use the insights for their own growth.
CliftonStrengths vs MBTI: Other considerations to make
1. Fixed personality vs. strengths-based growth
MBTI: Focuses on static personality traits, grouping people into one of 16 types that remain relatively stable over time. It provides insight into how you perceive the world, make decisions, and interact with others. So, if you want a broad personality framework, MBTI is helpful.
CliftonStrengths: Focuses on growth and development. Instead of categorizing you into 1 of 16 personalities, it highlights your natural talents and shows how to develop them into strengths for better performance, leadership, and teamwork. If you want to actively grow and apply your strengths, CliftonStrengths is the better fit.
2. Depth of results
MBTI sorts people into 16 personality types based on eight definitions, which we explain above. Since there are only 16 possible types, the results are easy to understand but not highly personalized.
CliftonStrengths, on the other hand, identifies 34 unique strengths, grouped into four domains:
Executing (e.g., Achiever, Responsibility)
Influencing (e.g., Communication, Woo)
Relationship Building (e.g., Empathy, Relator)
Strategic Thinking (e.g., Ideation, Futuristic)
Because everyone receives a personalized ranking of their strengths, the possible combinations are far more diverse. In fact, the chances of someone having the same Top 5 strengths in the same order as you is 1 in 33.4 million!
If you prefer a simple framework, MBTI is easier to grasp.
If you want a more nuanced, individualized approach, CliftonStrengths delivers deeper insights.
3. Team application
Both assessments can improve team dynamics, but they serve different purposes.
MBTI: Work styles and differences
Helps teams navigate conflict by understanding different personalities and decision-making styles.
Assigns roles based on preferences (e.g., Introverts may prefer deep work, while Extroverts thrive in brainstorming).
Useful for improving communication and recognizing basic differences (e.g., Thinkers value logic, while Feelers prioritize harmony).
CliftonStrengths: Strengths for team performance
Identifies each team member’s top strengths for better trust, collaboration, and engagement.
Helps teams balance complementary strengths (e.g., a Relator who builds deep trust pairs well with a Woo who thrives on networking).
Improves team engagement by ensuring members work in ways that energize them.
Provides a team strengths map, highlighting gaps (e.g., a team heavy in Executing but lacking Strategic Thinking may struggle with long-term planning).
If your goal is to improve team relationships and understanding at a basic level, MBTI is a great tool.
If your goal is to boost team performance, engagement, and collaboration, CliftonStrengths is more effective.
So, which assessment is right for you?
Good question!
First, it’s important to recognize that neither assessment is necessarily "better" — it truly depends on your goal.
If your main goal is to gain a basic understanding of yourself without necessarily applying that knowledge in a structured way at work, Myers-Briggs works just fine. It’s interesting, widely recognized, and it can give you some insight into your natural tendencies as a person.
However, if you’re looking for an in-depth assessment tool that actually helps you grow as a leader, and also that helps you develop more connected teams, CliftonStrengths is the clear winner. Rather than just telling you who you are based on your preferences, CliftonStrengths shows you how to use your natural talents to be more effective at work, whether that’s navigating difficult conversations, improving decision-making or maximizing your team’s potential.
Final verdict: MBTI vs StrengthsFinders
Want a basic understanding of personality? → MBTI
Want to develop strengths for better performance? → CliftonStrengths
Want to improve communication and reduce conflict? → MBTI
Want to maximize team strengths for productivity and engagement? → CliftonStrengths
Best-case scenario? Use both!
MBTI helps teams understand personalities, while CliftonStrengths helps them leverage their talents for real impact
One way to fully leverage the CliftonStrengths assessment is to work closely with a CliftonStrengths coach. A coach can equip you with personalized strategies to lead with confidence, as well as help you improve your communication so you can become more resilient, more effective, and more dynamic in your role, all of which will support you in accelerating not only your own career growth, but the growth of those around you, too!
Bonus: A CliftonStrengths coach can provide unique insights into rare strengths profiles and combinations you might have!
To learn more about how to leverage CliftonStrengths and set yourself on the path to extraordinary change, explore Reframed Coaching’s leadership coaching and CliftonStrengths consulting services here.