The Strengths Team Grid

Unlocking Your Team’s Success

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)

Understanding the Strengths team grid is a must to achieve synergy, alignment, and peak performance. The opening proverb above demonstrates exactly how it works from a biblical perspective.

The CliftonStrengths® team grid provides a visual representation of your team’s collective Strengths, helping leaders and team members harness their unique contributions to achieve greater results.

Understanding the the Strengths Team Grid

The team grid maps out where each team member’s Strengths fall within the four domains of leadership: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking.

Instead of focusing on gaps or weaknesses, the team grid encourages a Strengths-based approach to team performance, fostering a more engaged and high-performing workforce.

By visualizing where team members excel, leaders can identify natural partnerships and potential synergies, understand team dynamics and collaboration patterns, and align Strengths with business goals for better results.

 

How to Get the Most Value from the Strengths Team Grid

To truly benefit from the team grid, teams must move beyond simply reviewing it and take action to integrate Strengths-based insights into their daily work. Here’s how:

1. Focus on What’s Present, Not What’s Missing

A common mistake teams make is worrying about areas where they lack representation. Instead, flip the perspective—leverage the Strengths your team already possesses. Presence trumps absence. Instead of fixating on missing talent themes, explore how to maximize existing Strengths to drive results.

2. Make Strengths Conversations a Habit

The team grid shouldn’t be a one-time discussion. Regularly revisit it in team meetings, strategy sessions, and performance reviews. Encourage each team member to share how they are applying their Strengths and where they see opportunities for collaboration.

3. Ensure Psychological Safety and Transparency

The team grid should reinforce what’s already been discussed in individual Strengths conversations. No one should learn new information about themselves from the team grid. Before sharing the full 34 Strengths, ensure team members are comfortable and informed. The grid is a tool for enhancing understanding, not introducing surprises.

4. Use Strengths to Solve Real Challenges

Rather than viewing Strengths as static traits, apply them to tackle real business problems. Ask these key questions:

i. What are our current goals and challenges?
ii. How can our existing Strengths positively influence these challenges?
iii. Who on the team is best suited to take on specific tasks based on their Strengths?

This approach turns the team grid into a strategy tool rather than just a visual chart.

5. Foster Strengths-Based Collaboration

Great teams leverage powerful partnerships. By identifying complementary Strengths, team members can work together in ways that enhance productivity and creativity. For example, a Strategic Thinker might pair well with an Executor to move from ideation to implementation effectively. The key is to use Strengths as a bridge rather than a silo.

Maximizing Leadership Through the Strengths Team Grid

For leaders, the team grid offers deep insights into how to support, develop, and inspire their teams. By aligning Strengths with roles and responsibilities, leaders can place team members where they naturally thrive, encourage Strengths-based delegation and accountability, and create a culture where employees feel valued and empowered.

As Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Teams thrive when they commit to continuous encouragement and Strengths-based development.

Here are 10 creative and strengths-based discussion questions for teams using the Strengths Team Grid:

1. Which domain is our team’s superpower, and how does it help us thrive?
2. Where do we have gaps, and how can we creatively compensate for them?
3. What’s a surprising strength we have in abundance, and how does it show up in our work?
4. If our team were a superhero squad, what would our collective “Strengths identity” be?
5. How does our Strengths mix influence our decision-making, problem-solving, and innovation?
6. What’s one way we could better leverage our lesser-represented strengths for success?
7. How do different Strengths in our team balance, challenge, or amplify one another?
8. What Strengths-based nickname would you give our team based on our strongest domains?
9. If we could “borrow” a Strength for a day, which one would we choose and why?
10. How can we celebrate and use our unique Strengths daily to make work more engaging?

These questions encourage team bonding, awareness, and playful exploration of how Strengths shape collaboration!

Additional Insights from Research

According to Gallup’s research on high-performing teams, teams that focus on Strengths experience higher engagement, productivity, and overall well-being. Additionally, teams that actively develop Strengths-based strategies are more likely to achieve greater collaboration and effectiveness.

For a deeper understanding of how to leverage the team grid, check out Gallup’s official guide, which provides a comprehensive approach to implementing Strengths-based leadership.

Final Thoughts

The team grid is more than just a tool.

It’s a roadmap for creating a Strengths-based team culture. By embracing the collective talents of your team, fostering open conversations, and applying Strengths strategically, you can unlock higher engagement, performance, and success.

Start leveraging your team grid today and watch your team’s potential come to life!

Looking for expert coaching to help your team harness their Strengths? Let’s connect!