Becoming a CliftonStrengths Coach
Becoming a CliftonStrengths coach unlocks the full potential of people and teams by turning what they naturally do best into increased everyday performance. It builds engagement, strengthens relationships and drives results, especially in complex, fast‑moving or specialist environments.
Options, Certification and Practical Routes
If you’re exploring becoming a CliftonStrengths coach, you’ll quickly come across Gallup’s certification programme. It’s the best-known route, but it isn’t the only one.
This page explains the different options available and introduces a practical, independent course for experienced professionals who want to use CliftonStrengths confidently with individuals and teams, without needing formal Gallup accreditation.
There is more than one route to using CliftonStrengths
Gallup is the creator of the CliftonStrengths assessment, and their certification is the official accredited route for people who want the Gallup badge.
However, Gallup does not require certification to use CliftonStrengths professionally. Many organisations and coaches use the framework effectively without being Gallup-certified, provided they are clear about their status.
This course is designed for people who want to build real capability using CliftonStrengths, rather than pursue accreditation.
How this course compares to Gallup certification
| Gallup certification is a good fit if you: | This course is a good fit if you: |
|---|---|
| Need the official Gallup accreditation and badge | Do not need formal Gallup accreditation to do effective work |
| Want to be listed as a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach | Want to use CliftonStrengths confidently with individuals and teams |
| Are comfortable with a longer, more expensive programme | Prefer a shorter, more focused and cost-effective route |
| Are early in your strengths coaching journey | Already have experience as a coach, facilitator or HR professional |
| Specifically need Gallup branding for your role or organisation | Are building practical internal capability using CliftonStrengths |
Many people choose this route to build confidence and practical skill first, and then decide later whether Gallup certification is necessary for their role.
"What sets Kate apart is her ability to tailor the Strengths training to our specific needs, both as individuals and as a team ... We felt confident and equipped to apply what we had learned with our teams. Kate's expertise and personalised approach made a lasting impact, and I'm confident she can do the same for any team or organisation."
- Nadine Tapp - Head of Learning & Development, Flagship Group
Book a call to talk through whether this route is right for you
Trusted by leaders in complex organisations, including:
Who this course is designed for…
This course works particularly well for:
Internal HR and L&D professionals.
Managers and leaders using CliftonStrengths within their organisation.
Coaches and consultants who already have core coaching skills.
Organisations looking to build internal strengths capability without the cost of formal accreditation.
It is not designed to teach people how to coach. It assumes participants already have experience working with people and focuses on applying CliftonStrengths well.
What does the course cover?
This practical programme focuses on using CliftonStrengths confidently with individuals and teams. The course is delivered over two days, with an optional third day focused on team application.
Participants work with real examples throughout and practise applying the model in a way that translates directly into their role.
Click each section to find out more:
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You’ll develop a clear and credible understanding of the CliftonStrengths framework, including:
How the model was developed.
What CliftonStrengths does (and does not) measure.
How to explain the model clearly to others.
How to use the framework with confidence and accuracy.
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You’ll build a working knowledge of all 34 themes, including:
The core characteristics of each strength.
The four strength domains and how they influence behaviour and performance.
Deeper dives into strengths - what each strength adds, needs, and its potential ‘watch-outs’.
How different strengths interact and combine.
How to spot and work with the ‘shadow side’ of strengths.
This helps you move beyond surface-level descriptions to real insight.
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You’ll learn how to use CliftonStrengths effectively in one-to-one coaching, enabling people to:
Understand how their top strengths show up in different parts of their role.
Use strengths to build motivation, confidence and energy.
Improve performance, resilience and career development.
Increase self-awareness, self-management and emotional intelligence.
Recognise and manage the overuse or misapplication of strengths.
Skills practice is a key part of the course, and between sessions, to consolidate learning. Real examples are used throughout to bring the material to life.
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You’ll explore how to apply CliftonStrengths in relationships to:
Increase cognitive diversity and mutual understanding.
Improve collaboration, decision-making and communication.
Strengthen relationships and psychological safety.
Use the language of strengths to identify areas of common interest - and potential tensions.
Help individuals use their strengths more effectively when working with others.
Create strengths-based action plans with clients
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This additional day focuses on working with teams to help them understand and apply their strengths. You’ll learn how to:
Access and interpret team results from the Gallup platform.
Create and use team profiles.
Explore the spread of strengths across a team.
Discuss how strengths contribute to team goals and culture.
Identify effective partnerships and complementary strengths.
Use strengths language to build trust, accountability and psychological safety.
Recognise potential gaps and ways to manage this.
Exploring how teams work together, not just what they work on.
Support conflict resolution and stakeholder influence.
Agree practical actions and ways of working together.
If you have teams that you are going to be working with we can explore these together, confidentially, during the training.
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The course concludes with a focus on practical application. You’ll:
Identify how you will use CliftonStrengths in your role.
Agree next steps for integrating strengths into individuals, teams and culture.
Leave with clear actions you can take immediately.
What else is included?
As part of the programme, you’ll also receive:
Access to all course materials and activities.
Editable versions of materials that you can adapt or rebrand for your own use.
Practical examples drawn from real organisational contexts.
Opportunities to apply the learning to your own work throughout the course. If you have upcoming client work, you can bring this to the programme.
"Working with Kate is a pleasure. Professional, as expected, but also efficient, insightful and adaptable as a trainer and in providing feedback to coaches. Everyone learned loads about CliftonStrengths and even more importantly, Kate ensured we knew how to put our learning into action!"
- James Farrell, Head of Coaching, Environment Agency
Discuss delivery options for you or your organisation
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. Gallup does not require certification to use CliftonStrengths with individuals or teams.
You can coach people on their CliftonStrengths results and use the framework professionally without being Gallup-certified. The restriction is on how you describe yourself, not on using the tool.
If you are not Gallup-certified, you simply need to be clear that you are not accredited or endorsed by Gallup.
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No. This is not a Gallup-accredited programme.
This is an independent, practical course designed to help experienced coaches, facilitators, HR and L&D professionals use CliftonStrengths confidently with individuals and teams.
Some people choose Gallup certification because they want the Gallup badge. Others choose this route because they want practical capability without the cost or formality of accreditation.
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Yes.
You do not need to be Gallup-certified to purchase CliftonStrengths assessment codes. Anyone can buy codes directly from Gallup, either individually or in bulk.
Gallup-certified coaches receive discounted pricing, but access to the assessments themselves is not restricted to certified coaches.
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The two routes serve different needs.
Gallup certification is best suited to people who:
Want the official Gallup credential and badge.
Need to be listed in Gallup’s certified coach directory.
Are happy with a longer and more expensive programme.
This course is best suited to people who:
Are already experienced coaches, facilitators or HR professionals.
Want to use CliftonStrengths practically with individuals and teams.
Do not need the Gallup badge to do effective work.
Want a shorter, more focused and significantly more cost-effective route.
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This course works particularly well for:
Internal HR and L&D professionals.
Managers or leaders using CliftonStrengths internally.
Coaches and consultants who already have core coaching skills.
Organisations wanting to build internal strengths capability.
Most participants already have experience working with people and want to apply CliftonStrengths quickly and well.
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This course may not be the right fit if:
You specifically need Gallup accreditation or branding.
You want to be listed as a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach.
You are completely new to coaching and facilitation.
If accreditation is essential, the Gallup route is likely a better fit.
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Yes.
Some people use this course to build confidence and capability first, and later decide to pursue Gallup certification if their role or organisation requires it.
This course does not prevent you from taking the Gallup route in the future.
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People typically use this training to:
Coach individuals to understand and apply their strengths at work.
Work with teams using strengths to improve collaboration and trust.
Build a shared language around strengths and performance.
Support strengths-based culture and leadership development.
Because most programmes are delivered in-house, the training is often tailored to the organisation’s goals and followed by further coaching or teamwork.