Do Strengths Change Over Time? A Deep Dive into CliftonStrengths

The CliftonStrengths assessment has become a widely recognized tool for uncovering an individual’s unique set of talents, providing insights into how these strengths influence performance, relationships, and decision-making. But as we navigate through different stages of life and face new experiences, a common question arises: Do strengths change over time?

The short answer is, not really. While it might seem intuitive to think that our strengths evolve as we grow and adapt to life’s challenges, CliftonStrengths research reveals that our core strengths remain relatively stable throughout life. However, how we use and develop these strengths can change, depending on context, personal growth, and life experiences. Let’s explore this further.

Understanding CliftonStrengths

The CliftonStrengths assessment, developed by Gallup, is based on decades of research into human potential and performance. It identifies an individual’s top talents from 34 different strengths, which fall into four main domains: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. The idea is that everyone has a unique “strengths profile,” representing their natural talents, which can be developed into strengths through consistent practice and application.

According to Gallup, your strengths profile is a reflection of who you are at your core—your natural ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. This profile is relatively fixed, formed by your experiences, environment, and inherent personality traits, especially during your formative years. In this sense, your strengths are deeply ingrained and do not significantly change over time.

Strengths Stay Consistent, But Their Expression Evolves

While the core strengths you possess are unlikely to change, how you apply and develop those strengths can shift as you encounter new roles, responsibilities, and environments. For example, a leader with Strategic and Futuristic strengths may begin their career focusing heavily on visionary work, mapping out long-term goals. However, as they advance and gain more experience, they may apply those same strengths in new ways, such as mentoring others or creating systems that foster innovation.

The evolution lies in how strengths are utilized. Consider this analogy: strengths are like muscles. The set of muscles you have remains the same, but how you use and develop them depends on your focus and training. The more you exercise certain muscles, the stronger they become. Similarly, by being intentional about how you use your strengths, you can sharpen them and apply them to different areas of your life. The strength itself doesn’t change, but its expression and effectiveness do.

The Role of Self-Awareness in Strength Development

One of the most critical factors in developing your strengths over time is self-awareness. The more aware you become of your natural talents, the better equipped you are to apply them effectively. As we move through various stages of life, from early career to leadership roles, and even through personal changes like parenthood or major life transitions, self-awareness helps us leverage our strengths to meet new challenges.

For instance, someone with Achiever in their top five strengths may always be driven by productivity and goal-setting. Early in their career, they might focus on completing as many tasks as possible. But as they gain experience and develop self-awareness, they might realize that this strength can lead to burnout if not managed properly. By learning to adjust, delegate, and pace themselves, they can still achieve great things but in a more sustainable way.

Can Life Experiences Impact Strengths?

While the fundamental makeup of your strengths remains constant, life experiences can influence how you prioritize and develop them. Major life events—such as starting a new job, becoming a parent, facing a health challenge, or experiencing a significant failure—can bring out different aspects of your strengths that may have previously been underutilized.

For example, someone who naturally has Empathy as a strength may find that this talent grows more prominent when they step into a caregiving role or lead a team through a difficult period. Similarly, a strength like Communication might take on new meaning for someone who transitions from a technical role to a leadership position that requires frequent public speaking.

In these cases, the strengths themselves haven’t changed, but the way they are applied has adapted to new circumstances. This shows the incredible versatility of strengths and how they can be “fine-tuned” depending on the situation.

Strengths Development: It’s a Lifelong Journey

While your strengths may not fundamentally change, CliftonStrengths emphasizes that talent development is a lifelong journey. Developing strengths is not a “one and done” exercise. As you move through life, your ability to understand and apply your strengths will continue to grow. This is why CliftonStrengths encourages a focus on personal development, coaching, and ongoing reflection.

Gallup’s research highlights that people who invest in their strengths are more engaged, productive, and fulfilled. The more you consciously cultivate your strengths, the more impact they will have on your success and well-being. It’s not about changing your strengths, but about maximizing their potential over time.

The Myth of Weaknesses

Another important aspect to consider is that as you become more familiar with your strengths, you may also become more aware of your weaknesses. CliftonStrengths encourages individuals to focus on developing their strengths rather than trying to “fix” their weaknesses. By building on what you naturally do well, you are more likely to achieve success and satisfaction.

That said, becoming more adept at managing your weaknesses is part of the growth process. For example, if Harmony is one of your strengths, you may find conflict especially uncomfortable. Early in your career, you might avoid confrontation at all costs. However, with experience and self-awareness, you can learn to manage conflict in a way that still honors your desire for peace while addressing issues constructively. You’re not changing your strength, but rather learning how to use it in a more effective way.

Conclusion: Embrace the Consistency of Strengths, but Allow for Growth

In summary, while your CliftonStrengths are likely to remain consistent over time, how you develop and apply them can evolve as you grow personally and professionally. Your strengths are the foundation of your potential, but their full expression depends on self-awareness, intentional development, and the circumstances you encounter along your journey.

By understanding that strengths are stable yet flexible, you can embrace them as lifelong tools for success while allowing room for growth, adaptation, and new possibilities. The key is not in changing your strengths but in how you choose to cultivate and apply them in ever-changing environments.