The Perceived Effect of the CliftonStrengths Assessment of Christian Leader Self-Awareness

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perceived congruence between the coached CliftonStrengths (CS) assessment model and leader self-awareness (SA: internal, external, and spiritual) as described by the participants (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The theory behind this study was emotional intelligence, with specific attention on self-awareness and its import to general leadership theory (Antonakis et al., 2009; Bar-On et al., 2000; Goleman, 2019; Higgs, 2002; Eurich, 2017). A selective phenomenological study was utilized because the author evaluated leaders’ perception of the effect of CS on their SA or “What is it like to experience such-and-such?” (Leedy & Ormrod, 2015, p. 255). A sample of twelve Christian leaders 25 years and older who received coaching in diverse settings from certified coaches in all 34 strengths from the CS assessment and led salaried teams of 25 or fewer members was studied. Data was collected, coded, and analyzed from interviews with each of the twelve participants. A theological and theoretical framework addresses emotional intelligence (EI) and its four components with a more in-depth look at SA and CS as they affect leadership. More literature is needed on leader SA in the Christian realm (Malphurs, 2018). While there is data regarding other assessment tools and leader SA, scant research or empirical data exists regarding the relationship between CS and leader SA. This study is the first to probe the connection between CS and SA from a Christian worldview. This research intends to address that gap, encouraging further research.