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Understanding the Relationship Building Domain of CliftonStrengths

The 34 CliftonStrengths themes sort into four domains, or categories. Learn more about the nine themes that comprise the Relationship Building domain, introduced in Gallup's bestselling book Strengths Based Leadership and uncovered by the CliftonStrengths assessment.

An Introduction to the Relationship Building Domain Themes

Every team is nothing more than a group of unique individuals. A team's power comes from each person being empowered to use their distinctive talents and appreciate others'.

High-performing teams rely on people with strong Relationship Building themes to bring individuals together and make the team greater than the sum of its parts.

When your team needs to become stronger and more cohesive, look to people with the following Relationship Building themes. They can unite the group and galvanize them to achieve shared success. They are the bond that holds great teams together.

Adaptability

People exceptionally talented in the Adaptability theme prefer to go with the flow. They tend to be "now" people who take things as they come and discover the future one day at a time.

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Connectedness

People exceptionally talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links among all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has meaning.

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Developer

People exceptionally talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from evidence of progress.

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Empathy

People exceptionally talented in the Empathy theme can sense other people's feelings by imagining themselves in others' lives or situations.

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Harmony

People exceptionally talented in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don't enjoy conflict; rather, they seek areas of agreement.

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Includer

People exceptionally talented in the Includer theme accept others. They show awareness of those who feel left out and make an effort to include them.

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Individualization

People exceptionally talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how different people can work together productively.

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Positivity

People exceptionally talented in the Positivity theme have contagious enthusiasm. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.

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Relator

People exceptionally talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.

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How to Develop Strong Teams Using the Relationship Building Domain of CliftonStrengths

The best teams are made up of individuals who understand their own -- and others' -- unique contributions to the team.

Sure, you want a team whose collective CliftonStrengths are relatively well-balanced.

But as noted in Strengths Based Leadership, building a team with the right mix of CliftonStrengths is just the starting point.

According to research in Gallup's bestselling book It's the Manager:

Awareness of team members' strengths is far more predictive of team engagement and performance than the composition of a team's strengths.

So, how can you empower your team members to develop and apply their CliftonStrengths and appreciate their teammates' strengths?

Learn more about the other CliftonStrengths domains


Purchase the CliftonStrengths assessment for your team members to understand how strong the Relationship Building themes and all the 34 CliftonStrengths are among your team.

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Shop our CliftonStrengths coaching and management resources to lead your team to be more cohesive, versatile, productive and engaged.

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