Are you thinking of becoming a Gallup Certified Strengths coach? Perhaps you like CliftonStrengths® and want to help others discover their strengths. Or you may be wondering if it’s worth getting the Gallup Certification, and how you can save costs. We answer some of the common questions many of us ask before embarking on a significant course and a potential career change.
Is it worth becoming a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach?
Learning about CliftonStrengths® and being a Gallup trainer is one thing, but how necessary is it to follow the Gallup path and get the Gallup Certification? Here we look at the benefits of the Gallup Certification as a Strengths Coach, compared to a self-taught or third-party option.
Purchasing the CliftonStrengths® Coaching Starter Kit and the Strengths-Based Coaching With Managers and Teams Kit is certainly a cheaper option at the outset. You get lots of great materials for training, and you can use the worksheets with your clients. However, it involves self-study alone and no interaction with classmates to discuss and practice new skills. Part of this cheaper cost is that you don’t get the Gallup Certification. You may not consider the Gallup Certification important, but check the cost benefits of being a Gallup Certified Strengths coach.
Some training providers offer Strengths courses for coaches, at a lower cost, which do not include the Gallup Certification. You receive the training – to varying degrees – but do not obtain the extra benefits of being a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. Attendees of the Gallup course receive the benefit of the other Gallup materials that are not available in their store.
The Gallup Certification is only available to those who attend the Gallup Global Strengths Coaching (GGSC) course and take the Certification exam.
What are the benefits of getting the Gallup Certification?
Gallup provides several exclusive benefits for the Gallup Certified Strengths coaches. If you are already a Gallup Certified coach, make sure that you are taking full advantage of your certification. Here’s what they offer:
- Use of the Gallup Certified Strengths logo and Credly badge – adds extra kudos to your coaching brand.
- Special Certified Coaches pricing on CliftonStrengths® codes. Over the years this can amount to a hefty saving making the certification well worth the cost.
- Certified Coaches Monthly Newsletter with helpful updates and special resources for coaches. This includes your code for the special Certified Coaches pricing.
- Free listing in the Gallup Coaches Directory. Some coaches have received their biggest clients from the Coaches Directory.
- Special Certified Coaches Community update every two months with Q&A sessions.
- Free Online Learning Series for your personal development, hosted by Gallup usually in February. For me, I find this to be the richest source of strengths training available.
- Some regions offer special Alumni events for Gallup Certified coaches.
The use of the Gallup worksheets and proprietary material is only available for those who have attended the GGSC course or purchased the CliftonStrengths® Coaching Starter Kit, with their clients.
Available to all coaches is the Gallup Access Subscription platform. Benefit from improved Code Management, Gallup AI, additional reporting and the Cascade Strengths reports.
In addition, by attending a Gallup course you can earn professional credit hours for ICF, HRCI and SHRM qualifications.
The Gallup certification adds significant weight when working with organizations that value or require certified credentials, especially, schools, government, non-profits, etc. In addition, the Gallup-certified social communities are extremely generous with their time and resources, enabling you to learn from experts with decades of experience!
Ken Barr Jr.
Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, Michigan, USA
5 Steps to becoming a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach
How do you get your Gallup Certification? Here are the key steps to becoming a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach
- Find a course location – either a Gallup office or a Gallup Licensee
- Decide on a virtual or in-person experience
- Book and attend the Gallup Global Strengths Coaching course
- Coach 6 people on their Strengths
- Complete the certification exam
Congratulations on your certification! This is the beginning of your journey. See our guide on the Top 10 Tips for a New Strengths Coach on what to do next.
Where can I take the Gallup Global Strengths Coaching (GGSC) course?
Gallup has offices in countries across the world which run the Gallup Global Strengths Coaching (GGSC) course. In addition, there are official Strategic Licensees who run the courses on Gallup’s behalf. You get the same materials and can complete the important Certification process.
On the Gallup Store, select the Country Location to see the courses available for your region.
Be aware: There are some people offering a certification for CliftonStrengths® which is their own certification. This is not a Gallup Certification and you don’t get the benefits associated by being a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach.
How much does it cost to become a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach?
Let’s phrase this another way – how much are you prepared to invest in yourself and your work? Yes, there is a cost for the training course, as you would expect. Think beyond the course and how the certification will help you. The cost of the course materials, included in the price, is worth around $1000. Don’t forget, you can use the handouts in the course materials with your clients.
Once you have the Gallup Certification, you can receive a special Certified Coaches prices on the CliftonStrengths® codes, saving about $10 per code. After a few years, these savings will pay for the cost of the GGSC course and start to bring in an income.
Any prices mentioned are in $USD and are subject to change.
I had been using CliftonStrengths for a number of years but wanted to ‘sharpen’ my skills and provide the very best for my clients. I attended an in-person training in Gallup’s London office and had a brilliant experience. As a L7 qualified and accredited executive coach some of the coaching content was familiar but getting stuck into the ‘nuts and bolts’, science behind CliftonStrengths was superb. I came away with lots of resources to enhance my clients experience and, most of all, I connected with an awesome network of other coaching and leadership professionals. The networking and the content was well worth the investment.
Jonathan Curtis
Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, UK
8 Ways to save costs on your Gallup Strengths Certification Training
Many coaches, including myself, appreciate the value of becoming a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and chose to fund the course ourselves. Here are a few ways to help with the upfront costs.
Reducing the Certification Cost
- Consider the authorized training partners who may be closer, saving you travel expenses.
- Attending virtually will save on travel and accommodation costs, although this is a different experience from the in-person option.
- As part of the Certification process, you will need to coach 6 people. Gallup does not provide the CliftonStrengths® codes for these sessions, so you could ask to coach people who have already taken the assessment. Why not ask an existing coach to be your coachee for one of these sessions? Then they can provide you with helpful feedback – a double bonus!
- Sometimes there are discounts on Gallup courses for those attending the Gallup at Work Summit. The discount could cover the cost of your Summit ticket – so you get two events for the price of one!
Training Course Payment Options
- There may be the option to pay for the course with PayPal using the Pay In 3 feature to spread the cost over three instalments.
- A creative option is to offer a coaching session to potential clients where they pay ahead of your course. This will help you quickly recover the course costs and have people to coach immediately afterwards. In addition, they can be part of your 6 people to coach for the certification.
- If you are in an organization, see if they can fund the course as part of your personal development and help cultivate a strengths-based culture.
- Some people have negotiated the course fees into a Redundancy or Lay-off package – it’s worth asking.
The “Gallup Certification” has afforded and qualified me to reach greater platforms in the corporate world, giving me the confidence to help people and organizations. The globalized connection with talented fellow coaches and the Gallup team takes the coaching journey to a new level.
Lorraine Govender
Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, South Africa
Should I attend the GGSC course virtually or in person?
Often the price for the virtual and in-person courses are the same. I love connecting with people and receive more value with an in-person course. For me, it is the small side conversations during meal breaks etc, that enhance the learning and practical application. I formed some lasting friendships and am still in contact with people on my GGSC course back in 2015.
Sometimes the travel and accommodation costs become prohibitive, so a virtual option may be necessary. Virtual courses offer greater flexibility on dates and delivery in a non-English language. Before booking a virtual course, consider the time zone where the course is hosted, so you are not studying when your body would rather be sleeping.
Will Gallup help me get coaching clients?
To help coaches, Gallup hosts the Coaches Directory for Certified coaches to upload a profile and attract clients. Some coaches have received their best clients from the Coaches Directory whereas others get nothing. This could be down to the luck of the draw, or the quality of the bio entered in the directory.
Ultimately, it is up to you to find your coaching clients. As the coaching community is very collaborative, many coaches pass on clients that are more suited to your niche.
Tip: Establish your niche and your personal brand. This will enable your clients and other coaches to know you as a specialist in your field. Also, get involved in networking events for coaches to learn and share with others.
In addition, several coaches offer services to help the community. For example, setting up your brand, establishing a communication strategy, finding your ideal clients and offering Coaching Supervision.
Becoming a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach has been instrumental to the success of my business with the credibility the certification brings. A proper and respected coaching certification helps potential clients quickly trust that you have a deep understanding of coaching and are professionally qualified. You are welcomed into a wonderful community of fellow coaches with whom you can share, learn, and socially have fun, either at regular online learning events or at face-to-face alumni events.
Justin Douglas
Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, UK
As the number of coaches increases, is it a crowded market?
Competing with other coaches for business can be a concern. However, the coaching industry is growing at an alarming rate and you can read the statistics here. With over 6000 people taking the CliftonStrengths® assessment every day, that’s 2.3 million people every year. Although the number of coaches is growing, the opportunities are also increasing along with a greater need for personal development.
Still not sure?
Becoming a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach is a big step, and if you are fully bought into CliftonStrengths® this may seem like a natural progression. See it as a personal investment for yourself. Why not take advantage of any career breaks between jobs to study or financial windfalls to fund your development?
Ask existing coaches. Discover what the Gallup Certification means to them, how they saved costs, and share any concerns.
From my perspective, funding the GGSC course myself was one of the best personal investments I’ve made. Joining the global coaching community enables me to thrive where I can give my best and be amongst friends. Taking the extra step to get the Gallup Certification was well worth the cost.
For more information directly from Gallup, contact coaching@gallup.com
Becoming a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach has provided me with additional credibility, expanded coaching opportunities, and access to branded resources. All of these combined have allowed me to better serve my clients and support them as they reach their full potential.
Melissa Chaplin
Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, South Dakota, USA
You may be interested in
Top 10 Tips for a New Strengths Coach
Want to leave your full time job to set up your new business?
How to take the CliftonStrengths® / StrengthsFinder® assessment
Develop your Strengths with the 34 CliftonStrengths Themes
Disclaimer – Releasing Strengths receives nothing if readers choose to attend the GGSC course, we are here to give back to the coaching community. We do, however, receive a small amount to help cover our website costs from some of the other Gallup products via the affiliate links. Any prices mentioned are in $USD and are subject to change.
