HISTORY OF CLIFTONSTRENGTHS®

It started back in the early 1950's with a simple question . . . “What would happen if we studied what was right with people instead of what was wrong with people?”

  "Be who you are and be that well."    ~ Saint Francis de Sales

That question was eventually answered by the late Donald Clifton, Ph.D., chairman of Gallup, Inc. and, according to the American Psychological Association, "the father of strengths-based psychology and the grandfather of positive psychology."  Over the next five decades, Dr. Clifton and his colleagues at Gallup took a very close look at the talents of highly successful people. Millions of in-depth interviews were conducted to determine the most natural thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of these individuals, who worked in a variety of domains (business, non-profits, education, etc.).

It was quickly evident that our God-given talents do more than make us unique individuals. Our greatest talents - the ways in which we most naturally think, feel, and behave - also serve as our best opportunities for excellence when they are developed.

Fast forward to the late 1990’s - after decades of research and practice that stood the test of time and empirical scrutiny - the CliftonStrengths® (StrengthsFinder®) assessment tool was born.

Today, Gallup’s groundbreaking assessment tool helps people discover their unique combination of talents, the foundation of their strengths.

Gallup created the science of 'Strengths.'   

God created you and your unique gifts.

The Catholic Strengths and Engagement Community (CSEC) is grateful to be able to guide you in the process of beginning to engage in strengths-based talent development through the lens of faith.