Overcoming CliftonStrengths Pushback: 3 Things To Do When Employees Refuse StrengthsFinder Participation
Sometimes (and only sometimes) your team members might actively push back on completing their CliftonStrengths Assessment questions.
And chances are, they have a good reason to.
Perhaps they had a bad experience at a previous company with a different framework like Myers Briggs.
Perhaps they don’t want to feel judged or seen by colleagues and would rather contribute silently.
In the worst cases, a former employer may have misused previous assessments, potentially weaponizing the results or reinforcing unfair stereotypes. Given that experience, it's completely understandable why they’d be hesitant to take this assessment.
Or perhaps they simply don’t understand the “why” behind completing a StrengthsFingers assessment. If you’re like me, maybe someone’s compared CliftonStrengths to“wu wu astrology and horoscopes” and told you “I don’t consent to psychological testing.”
All three scenarios are perfectly normal, and completely acceptable. As beneficial as the CliftonStenths Assessment is to teams, it should not be forced upon individuals if they do not wish to participate.
That said, participant engagement is the key differentiator between successful team dynamics and a fragmented and unproductive team, and there are a few things you can do as a manager to help your teams understand the true purpose and impact of the assessment.
1. Communicate the scientific value of the CliftonStrengths framework
By all accounts, resistance to the CliftonStrengths Assessment probably stems from a place of misunderstanding. After all, without the right contextual information, individuals might just see this as yet another personality test to be judged against.
As a manager, your role is to communicate StrengthsFinders as a value-adding framework for self-awareness, growth and team collaboration, rather than a simple measure of personality. It’s important, then, to emphasize that the CliftonStrengths framework isn’t about categorizing people but about helping them. It’s about making sure they understand their natural talents and how to use them effectively with a framework that is rooted in data and science.
As you communicate the value of Gallup’s framework, consider these four strategies:
Get curious about their thought process and past experiences
Ask questions like:
“I’m curious to learn more about your thoughts around this assessment and workshop. Tell me more.”
“I’m curious, have you participated in a similar-assessment and workshop-experience at a different company before? I’d love to learn more about your past experience.”
“I totally respect your preference. Are you open to sharing more with me about the reasons why?”
Make it about your team members, not the company
Rather than positioning CliftonStrengths as a workplace requirement, highlight how the assessment can help individuals excel in their career, improve their confidence, and navigate team challenges more effectively!
Share the science!
For those who dismiss CliftonStrengths as mere astrology, learning about the extensive research and validation behind StrengthsFinder often sparks their interest. Four research papers often pique the interest of even the most skeptical of minds:
Other facts are wrapped up nicely in this CliftonStrengths Demographics FAQ.
Finally, share success stories!
Be sure to also provide real-life examples of how CliftonStrengths has helped individuals find fulfillment in their roles or reduce frustration in daily tasks, including your own!
2. Use CliftonStrengths language to encourage self-discovery
Introducing strengths-based language into everyday conversations can help normalize the CliftonStrengths framework and spark curiosity without pressure.
Instead of making the assessment feel like a requirement, you can speak to the assessment and weave strengths discussions into team interactions in a natural way, either during your 1:1 talks or in group meetings.
For example…
Instead of giving generic praise to a team member, say, “I really appreciate how your Context strength helped us navigate that challenge,” or, “Your Positivity strength made a huge impact on team morale today.”
If you see a team member struggling, another example might be to guide that person toward their strengths by asking, “What strength comes naturally to you that might help in this situation?”
As you do this, it’s important to encourage informal reflection and share your own experiences with CliftonStrengths. Explain first hand how it has helped you understand your work style, communication preferences or leadership approach, and importantly, don’t shy away from expressing your own blindspots and talking about your own profile.
“Would you be open to hearing how my CliftonStrengths results helped shape my professional journey?”
“Would you like to see my CliftonStrengths report? I’d love to share how I’ve used it to grow in my role as a [role].”
“Can I share some insights into my blind spots and how recognizing them has improved my quality of life and work engagement?”
3. Invite individuals to workshops and sessions regardless, but don’t make them mandatory
Finally, for any team members who might be hesitant, make sure to extend an open invitation to workshops, team discussions or strengths-based coaching sessions regardless.
Providing options is the best way to allow team members the space to engage at their own pace. Here are a few ways to encourage participation:
Lead with inclusivity: Let individuals know they’re welcome to join even if they haven’t taken the assessment. They can still learn about strengths-based development through discussions and examples.
Take a “listen and learn” approach: Emphasize that these sessions are about self-discovery and team connection, not about labeling or evaluating people.
Create space for curiosity: Highlight key takeaways from workshops in team meetings or share success stories from those who have applied their strengths. (Sometimes, seeing the benefits firsthand is enough to spark interest.)
IN PRACTICE
Emailing a workshop participant about CliftonStrengths
I sent this email to a participant who refused to complete the assessment for an upcoming group workshop:
The response?
“Thank you for the information. I’ll participate without the assessment.”
This participant ended up participating fully and engaging in discussions about their strengths, using their own words.
This is another situation where an employee reached out directly with skepticism about the assessment and we had a conversation over Slack:
Their message:
“I am not entirely sure if I believe in this assessment. If necessary I will complete it, but I don't believe this is representative of me. Questions often have multiple facets and aren't always mutually exclusive. The perspectives we gain over the years can't always be neatly categorized into a binary framework.”
How I replied:
“Hi [name!] That's very fair, I understand! CliftonStrengths is a measure of one's natural talent (it is not a personality assessment) and there are 3 technical studies to validate its use. You can read the technical report here.
[Company Name] is doing this across the company so it is a requirement but we can speak to the People team about your perspective if you'd like - I'm happy to discuss!
I agree, things aren't always binary, there is far too much complexity and nuance in our human experience. This assessment is often used as a starting point to better understand one's talents and motivations (and those of their team members).
That's perfectly okay that you aren't a fan of this assessment!
I'm curious to know if there are any aspects of the report that you resonate with (e.g. learner, analytical, achiever, individualization), or if you find the whole concept unhelpful.
One of the activities in the workshop is that everybody will discuss their strengths.
If you're not comfortable using the CliftonStrengths language in the workshop, would you feel more comfortable discussing your strengths in your own words?
We don't need to share your results with the group if you don't necessarily agree with the report.”
By keeping CliftonStrengths sessions open and pressure-free, you allow teams to engage on their terms (emphasis on the word their!), making them more likely to participate when they’re ready.
To learn more about CliftonStrengths for teams, read this introductory guide, learn why you should use a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, or explore our StrengthsFinders workshops here.