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In the ever-evolving landscape of professional development, the intersection of aacrao competencies and Gallup's CliftonStrengths® presents a compelling opportunity for individuals to reflect on their natural talents and how those talents can assist them in their development as higher education professionals. AACRAO's well-established framework provides a solid foundation for the field of enrollment management, admissions, and records/registration, while CliftonStrengths® offers unique insights into the ways we intuitively think, feel, and behave. Exploring how CliftonStrengths® aligns with aacrao competencies can amplify personal and professional development for higher education professionals. This article delves into the relationship between the two frameworks, exploring how their alignment can foster purposeful and impactful growth.
CliftonStrengths®
CliftonStrengths®, formerly known as StrengthsFinder, is a personal development tool created by Gallup and rooted in more than four decades of research. The grandfather of CliftonStrengths®, Don Clifton, wanted to study what was right about people, instead of succumbing to the message that we must always fix our weaknesses. He believed that by identifying innate talents and studying successes, individuals could enhance self-awareness, intentionally invest in their natural talents, and purposefully aim their strengths to create even more success (Gallup 2024).
Categorized into a list of 34 themes, individuals can purchase an assessment to receive either their Top 5 CliftonStrengths® or their full 34 report. While every person has all 34 strengths, the dominant strengths are the ones that rise to the top and offer the most opportunity for success. These are considered "superpowers" and are unique to each individual. So unique, in fact, that you have a one in 33 million chance of having the same top 5 strengths as someone else (Nelson 2022). Identifying your CliftonStrengths® also provides clues to your motivations. We may share similar goals, but we will be motivated differently to pursue those goals. Similarly, you may have a team of ten admissions or financial aid counselors, but they may all have very different motivations for being in the role. Knowing one's strengths helps explain why people do the things they do
Awareness is the first step in the strengths journey; you have to know what you have in order to know how to use it. When you've succeeded in understanding your dominant strengths, you can begin intentionally investing in those...