skip to main content

An Introduction to the Belief® CliftonStrengths Theme

Looking to learn more about Belief? Whether you want to know more about how to use your Belief theme to succeed, or how to help someone harness theirs, you've come to the right place.

You'll find definitions and descriptions made popular in the international bestseller StrengthsFinder 2.0, plus ideas for how to better understand and use this CliftonStrengths theme.

What Is the Definition of Belief?

Belief and the rest of the CliftonStrengths themes are comprised of natural talents that Gallup has identified through decades of research.

People exceptionally talented in the Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for their lives.

People complete the CliftonStrengths assessment to learn which of the 34 themes, like Belief, are strongest in them.

The following definition describes the thoughts, feelings and behaviors you are likely to experience if you have strong Belief:

If you possess a strong Belief theme, you have certain core values that are enduring. These values vary from one person to another, but ordinarily your Belief theme causes you to be family-oriented, altruistic, even spiritual, and to value responsibility and high ethics -- both in yourself and others.

These core values affect your behavior in many ways. They give your life meaning and satisfaction; in your view, success is more than money and prestige. They provide you with direction, guiding you through the temptations and distractions of life toward a consistent set of priorities.

This consistency is the foundation for all your relationships. Your friends call you dependable. "I know where you stand," they say. Your Belief makes you easy to trust. It also demands that you find work that meshes with your values. Your work must be meaningful; it must matter to you. And guided by your Belief theme, it will matter only if it gives you a chance to live out your values.

Belief is a theme in the Executing domain of CliftonStrengths.

People with dominant Executing themes like Belief make things happen.

Each of the 34 CliftonStrengths sort to one of four domains -- Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building and Strategic Thinking. These domains help you understand how to use individual CliftonStrengths to succeed when you join, create or lead a team.

Learn more about the CliftonStrengths domains

How to Better Understand Your Belief Theme

Making the most of your Belief talents starts with gaining valuable insights into what you naturally do best.

How people with strong Belief talents describe themselves:

  • "I am passionate and uncompromising about core values."
  • "I need a cause or purpose for which to live."
  • "I love altruism."
  • "I hate anything that does not align with my beliefs."
  • "I bring stability, clarity and conviction of values."

How to Apply Your Belief to Succeed

The most successful people invest in their strongest talents. The only way to develop your Belief talents is to use them every day -- at work, at home and everywhere else. The following are a few ideas for how to apply your Belief to achieve your goals:

Work With Belief: Partner with someone who has strong Futuristic talents. This person can energize you by painting a vivid picture of the direction in which your values will lead.

Lead With Belief: Your Belief talents allow you to talk to the hearts of people. Develop a "purpose statement" and communicate it to your family, friends, and coworkers. Your powerful emotional appeal can give them a motivating sense of contribution.

Live With Belief: Clarify your values by thinking about one of your best days ever. How did your values play into the satisfaction that you received on that day? How can you organize your life to repeat that day as often as possible?

Check out our in-depth videos from Gallup experts for more ways to use Belief to make the most of your potential.

Belief:

If You're a Manager With Belief

Your Belief talent makes you stronger. Lead with your strengths so both you and your team can succeed. A strengths-based approach to management will lead to:

  • better conversations
  • stronger partnerships
  • higher team engagement
  • greater collaboration

For manager-specific insights and strategies, check out your CliftonStrengths for Managers report and explore your top 10 themes and how you can use them to reach your goals.

Managing Team Members With Strong Belief Talents

Discovering the collective talents of your team using the CliftonStrengths assessment is just the first step.

To successfully manage or lead others, you must individualize your approach. You must understand what makes each of your team members unique. And you must lead meaningful conversations about performance that focus on what each person naturally does best.

An Example of Managing Team Members With Belief

Help them accept that other people might have values different from their own. Having strong Belief does not equate with being judgmental.

Use the CliftonStrengths Assessment to Discover More About Belief

CliftonStrengths DNA Strand image.

How Strong Are Your Belief Talents?

Purchase CliftonStrengths 34 to reveal your complete unique talent profile and learn just how strong your Belief talents are. You'll get personalized insights into your CliftonStrengths results and ideas for maximizing your potential.

Group of people at work discussing their strengths.

How to Work With Others With Strong Belief Talents

Gallup offers resources and products you can use to help others succeed by developing their Belief theme and all their CliftonStrengths.