Why Do I Have More Than One CliftonStrengths Report?

I get asked this question a lot. Here's how I like to explain the differences in the CliftonStrengths reports:

If you choose the "Top 5" option when taking the assessment, you'll have 2 reports: The "Strengths Insight Guide" and "Your Signature Theme Report." In the latter, you'll find what I call the "research-based" definitions of your top 5 themes. They explain the details of each theme, as based on more than four decades of research. So, if you and I both have Learner in our top 5, the definitions under Learner in our Signature Theme Reports will be identical. I always recommend people read this report first.

The "Strengths Insight Guide" is your customized report. It reveals how your Strengths "play together," as I like to say. In this report, the definitions for your Learner and my Learner will be different because they are based on how we uniquely responded to specific aspects of the assessment.

If you choose the "Full 34" option (same assessment, more reports), you'll get the 2 reports I mentioned above, plus "Your CliftonStrengths 34 Results" and the "Theme Sequence Report," which is the list of your 34 in order accompanied by one-sentence definitions - sort of like a Quick Reference Guide for your 34 themes ordered from your top themes to you least dominant ones.

The "CliftonStrengths 34 Results" has great stuff in it, such as suggested action items for your top 10 as well as blind spots you might want to keep in mind. It's a much more robust report, though you can definitely get a great deal out of a top 5 report.

The full 34 report also includes customized definitions for your top 5 - spoiler alert: they are the same definitions you'll find in your "Strengths Insight Guide." ;-)