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An Introduction to the Consistency® CliftonStrengths Theme

Looking to learn more about Consistency? Whether you want to know more about how to use your Consistency 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 Consistency?

Consistency 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 Consistency theme are keenly aware of the need to treat people the same. They crave stable routines and clear rules and procedures that everyone can follow.

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

The following theme description highlights the thoughts, feelings and behaviors you are likely to experience if you have strong Consistency:

Balance is important to you. You are keenly aware of the need to treat people the same, no matter what their station in life, so you do not want to see the scales tipped too far in any one person's favor. In your view, this leads to selfishness and individualism. It leads to a world where some people gain an unfair advantage because of their connections or their background or their greasing of the wheels.

This is truly offensive to you. You see yourself as a guardian against it. In direct contrast to this world of special favors, you believe that people function best in a consistent environment where the rules are clear and are applied to everyone equally. This is an environment where people know what is expected. It is predictable and evenhanded. It is fair. Here each person has an even chance to show his or her worth.

Consistency is a theme in the Executing domain of CliftonStrengths.

People with dominant Executing themes like Consistency 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 Consistency Theme

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

How people with strong Consistency talents describe themselves:

  • "I am more interested in group needs than individual wants."
  • "I need standard operating procedures."
  • "I love repeating things in exactly the same way."
  • "I hate unnecessary customization."
  • "I bring rules and policies that promote cultural predictability."

How to Apply Your Consistency to Succeed

The most successful people invest in their strongest talents. The only way to develop your Consistency 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 Consistency to achieve your goals:

Work With Consistency: Keep your focus on performance. Your Consistency talents might occasionally lead you to overemphasize how someone gets work done, and ignore what he or she gets done.

Lead With Consistency: Cultivate a reputation for pinpointing those who really deserve credit. Make sure that respect is always given to those who truly performed the work. You can become known as the conscience of your organization or group.

Live With Consistency: Make a list of the rules of consistency by which you can live. These rules might be based on certain values that you have or on certain policies that you consider "non-negotiables." Counterintuitively, the more clear you are about these rules, the more comfortable you will be with individuality within these boundaries.

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

Consistency:

If You're a Manager With Consistency

Your Consistency 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 Consistency 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 Consistency

When it comes time to recognize employees after completing a project, ask people with high Consistency talents to pinpoint each person's contribution. They will ensure that those involved receive the accolades they deserve.

Use the CliftonStrengths Assessment to Discover More About Consistency

How Strong Are Your Consistency Talents?

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

How to Work With Others With Strong Consistency Talents

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