How CliftonStrengths Transforms DEI into True Workplace Belonging?

In a world where diversity is often reduced to checking boxes around external characteristics, I’ve learned that fostering true belonging requires much more than just acknowledging demographic differences.

My personal journey with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and positive psychology tools like CliftonStrengths has shown me that true inclusion and belonging in the workplace requires a shift in focus from who people appear to be to what they can contribute.

This is where positive psychology comes in.

CliftonStrengths, a tool created by Gallup based on positive psychology , focuses on identifying and maximizing individuals' natural talents. It categorizes strengths into 34 themes across four domains: Strategic Thinking, Executing, Influencing and Relationship-Building.

These themes are universal and apply to everyone, regardless of race, gender, age or other demographic factors. This tool transcends demographics to look at teams as collections of unique strengths rather than just a list of external differences.        

When leaders apply this framework to their teams, they move away from merely recognizing external diversity to embracing the unique cognitive and emotional diversity that individuals bring.

The First Encounter: Moving Beyond What’s Visible

A few years ago, I worked with a client struggling to build a cohesive team that was demographically diverse. The organization had successfully recruited people from various backgrounds—particularly ethnicities, genders and age groups. However, despite harmonious appearances, something wasn’t working. Younger employees felt that their ideas weren’t being heard, while more experienced workers believed their perspectives were undervalued. This disconnect wasn’t rooted in their differences in age or background; it stemmed from their unrecognized strengths and different working styles.

I introduced CliftonStrengths as a way to bridge the gap. By having each team member take this assessment, we were able to uncover the individual talents that weren’t visible on the surface. One employee, "Carlos," had "Maximizer" as one of his top strengths. He thrived on refining ideas and improving existing processes. Another employee, "Sarah," had "Futuristic," meaning she was motivated by big-picture thinking and envisioning the future. These two strengths initially seemed to clash, but in reality, they were complementary.

By understanding these differences as strengths rather than weaknesses, Carlos and Sarah began to appreciate each other’s unique contributions. They realized that their strengths actually complemented each other, which allowed them to work better together. This was a breakthrough moment for the team. It wasn’t their demographic differences that needed attention; it was their unacknowledged strengths and how they could use these to work together more effectively.

By bringing this positive psychology tool?into the conversation, the team was able to see the beauty in their differences which created an "aha moment."

The real power of combining DEI with CliftonStrengths lies in its ability to create a culture of belonging. Belonging is about more than just fitting in; it’s about being valued for who you are—your individual strengths—and what you contribute to the team.

Leadership Through Strengths

The CliftonStrengths framework encourages leaders to recognize the potential within every individual. By incorporating CliftonStrengths and other tools based on positive psychology into leadership development programs, leaders can learn to celebrate the strengths of all employees, regardless of background. This significantly shifts team dynamics, allowing some members who felt marginalized to feel empowered to contribute.

In my experience, the common language of strengths helps to break down barriers and dissolve feelings of “otherness .” Employees no longer saw each other through the lens of their demographic differences but as partners contributing unique talents to a shared goal.

In one coaching session, a team leader shared their difficulty to manage diverse teams composed of varying ethnicities, generations, and expertise levels. He felt his DEI efforts were falling flat as their needs are so different.

We discussed shifting his mindset from focusing on what sets people apart to what they bring in terms of talent, using terms from the CliftonStrengths assessment.

For example: someone with “Empathy” could lead initiatives around employee well-being, while someone with “Strategic” might take charge of long-term planning allowing the leader to create a sense of ownership and pride within the team.

The Neuroscience of Belonging: How Strengths-Based DEI Activates the Brain

Understanding the science behind inclusion is key to unlocking its full potential in the workplace. Neuroscience tells us that when individuals feel valued and included, their brain's reward centers are activated, releasing feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. This not only boosts morale but also improves productivity and creativity. When employees feel excluded or undervalued, their brain’s threat response is triggered, leading to disengagement and stress.

By using CliftonStrengths as part of a DEI strategy, we are essentially hacking the brain’s natural wiring to promote belonging and motivation. When leaders focus on strengths, they create a positive feedback loop in the brain that fosters a sense of inclusion . Employees begin to feel seen, heard, and valued—not just for their demographic traits but for their unique contributions and talents. This deep sense of belonging on a neurological level reduces stress, increases trust, and drives performance.

A Vision for the Future

In today’s evolving workplace, leaders must move beyond seeing DEI as just a mandate or checkbox. By integrating CliftonStrengths, it’s not enough to say we value diversity; we must actively seek to understand, appreciate, and utilize the strengths of every individual.

The next time you look at your team, ask yourself: are you seeing beyond the surface? Are you leveraging their strengths to foster a culture of belonging?

The intersection of DEI and CliftonStrengths is where real transformation begins, and it’s where leaders can make a profound impact, unlocking not only the potential of their teams but also the potential for true inclusion—where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued for who they are, inside and out.

What are you doing to increase belonging and inclusion in your workplace?

DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated by any means to GALLUP or CliftonStrengths

#diversityequityandinclusion #inclusiveleadership #leadershipcoach #belonging #exclusion #Cliftonstrengths

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Sahar Andrade, MB.BCh- Forbes Coaches Council Influencer

You can listen to my podcast "AI Cafe Conversations" on Amazon music Apple podcasts and Spotify

My name is Sahar Andrade , I help organizations increase their employee engagement by investing in Diversity/Inclusion practices as well as through Leadership Development.

I also coach successful leaders that are stuck to reinvent their lives with courage, release their fears, get clarity on their purpose and pursue their dreams.

My teachings, my unique education and experience combined with singular approach to realizing change, form a proven system for long lasting positive transformation. My methodology is based on human psychology, N.L.P. practices and research to break down issues, reverse engineer them, and deconstruct personal myths, while developing personal leadership skills development. It is a simple step by step program, modules, exercises, one on one and group coaching.

At Sahar Consulting, LLC, we're not just about theories; we're about actionable change. Let's transform workplaces together.

I am the author of “49 things about Entrepreneurship: That experts do not want you to know ” on Amazon.

This is my TED TALK : Overcoming Negative Thoughts

I am the founder of “Sahar Consulting, LLC ” and “Reinvent Yourself to Greatness ”