Gallup talents or other personality tests? 5 key differences you need to know before buying

Many of the leaders I consult with have already taken various personality tests – including DISC, MBTI and Insight Discovery. They know their colours, the four letters of their personality type, and whether they are more extroverted or introverted.

The problem arises in a leader’s day-to-day work. When a team is in conflict, a project is delayed, or a difficult decision needs to be made, knowledge of personality type often proves of little use.

That is why many leaders start looking for a tool that not only describes character but helps them understand how to work more effectively with a team. This is precisely why they are increasingly turning to the CliftonStrengths methodology and Gallup talents.

If you are just getting to know what Gallup’s talents are and how the 34-talent profile is created, I describe this in more detail in the article “What are Gallup’s talents and how can they be used in practice?”.

Why personality tests alone are often insufficient in management

In many organisations, personality tests are mainly used as a tool for self-awareness or to improve team communication. This may be a good starting point, but it rarely addresses real leadership challenges.

What leaders need in practice

In their day-to-day work, managers seek answers to more specific questions:

• How to make decisions under pressure,
• how to build authority within a team,
• how to better utilise people’s potential.

It is precisely in such situations that it becomes clear whether a given tool actually helps with management.

The problem with labelling in personality tests

Most personality tests are based on assigning people to a few types. In a business environment, this easily leads to simplistic labels.

For example, someone might be described as dominant or introverted, which over time begins to define how their competencies are perceived.

The CliftonStrengths methodology works differently. Instead of assigning people to a few categories, it describes natural patterns of thinking, acting and decision-making.

Personality tests help us get to know ourselves better, but in team management, we often need a tool that shows not only who we are, but above all how we operate in practice.

5 key differences between CliftonStrengths and other personality tests

The choice of diagnostic tool has a real impact on the development of leaders and teams. Below are five differences that most often determine its practical usefulness.

1. Focus on potential rather than personality type

Many popular tests categorise people into a few personality types. This is simple and easy to remember, but at the same time it oversimplifies the complexity of human behaviour.

CliftonStrengths identifies 34 strengths – natural patterns of thinking and behaviour. As a result, a leader’s profile is far more personalised.

2. The ‘Name it – Claim it – Aim it’ approach

In many tests, the process ends with a diagnosis. The leader learns what type of personality they are, but does not always know how to put this knowledge into practice.

In Gallup’s methodology, development is based on three steps:

• Name it – recognising talents
• Claim it – understanding their significance
• Aim it – consciously utilising talents at work

This makes the report a tool for development, rather than merely a description.

3. Talents operate as a system

In many tests, traits are analysed separately. In practice, however, leadership style stems from a combination of several talents.

For example, a leader with the talents Fixer and Charisma will operate differently from someone with the talents Fixer and Analyst. That is why, when working with the CliftonStrengths report, the entire pattern of talents is analysed, rather than individual traits.

I discuss in more detail why the Top 5 strengths should be read as a system rather than a list of traits in the article “Gallup’s Top 5 Strengths – how to read the results as a system”.

4. Stability of results and research basis

CliftonStrengths is based on many years of research by the Gallup Institute into what enables people to achieve above-average results at work.

The results of the research are relatively stable over time, as they describe natural patterns of behaviour rather than momentary preferences. I discuss in more detail whether and to what extent Gallup strengths can change in the article “Can Gallup strengths change?”.

5. A language of development rather than diagnosing shortcomings

In many employee assessment systems, the emphasis is on identifying shortcomings and areas for improvement.

The Gallup methodology assumes the opposite – the greatest growth occurs when people consciously utilise their greatest strengths. Weaknesses are not ignored, but are managed through collaboration and appropriate division of roles.

The biggest difference between CliftonStrengths and traditional personality tests is that it focuses not on labelling people, but on developing their natural potential.

CliftonStrengths vs DISC and MBTI – a comparison of methodologies

Feature Standard tests (DISC, MBTI) CliftonStrengths (Gallup)

Main objective Personality type classification Identification of sources of performance

Number of combinations A small number of types Over 33 million combinations

Application General improvement of communication Development of leaders and team effectiveness

Stability of results May change over time Relatively stable patterns of behaviour

Approach to weaknesses Focus on shortcomings Managing weaknesses through strengths

How to choose a tool that will truly help with team management

In practice, the choice of tool depends on the purpose for which it is to be used.

If an organisation primarily wishes to improve communication and increase awareness of differences between people, classic personality tests may be sufficient.

However, if the aim is to develop leaders and make better use of the team’s potential, a tool is needed that allows the diagnosis to be translated into real-world decisions at work. Gallup research shows that teams operating on the basis of strengths achieve higher engagement and better business results.

Summary

Personality tests can be a good starting point for getting to know yourself and your team better. In many situations, however, they prove insufficient for day-to-day management.

The CliftonStrengths methodology allows you to understand a leader’s natural patterns of behaviour and consciously utilise them when working with a team.

As a result, development is not about conforming to a universal leadership model, but about using one’s own talents in a more conscious and consistent manner.

Would you like to see how the distribution of talents within your team affects KPI achievement? Book a free diagnostic consultation.