The 5 STRENGTHS Model™: A New Standard for Building Resilient Organizations

Sammy Davis and Amira Davis

Every strong organization has something in common with a lion, power that comes not from one single trait, but from a balance of many.

At D5 Consulting Group, we believe true resilience isn't found in a single department, leader, or policy. It's created when every part of the organization, from leadership to culture, works in harmony.

That belief led to the creation of The 5 STRENGTHS Model™, our proprietary framework designed to help organizations not just survive change, but lead through it.

Why We Created The 5 STRENGTHS Model™

For years, D5 has worked with corporations, schools, and nonprofits across New York and beyond. In that time, we noticed a pattern: most organizations invest heavily in one area, leadership, safety, or culture, while others remain underdeveloped.

The result? Progress that fades.

A school invests in active shooter training but has weak leadership—when crisis hits, no one knows who's actually in charge.

A corporation sends leaders to development programs but ignores toxic culture—those newly trained leaders can't change anything because the environment crushes initiative.

A nonprofit builds incredible teamwork but has zero safety preparedness—when workplace violence occurs, their collaboration means nothing because they don't know how to respond.

These aren't isolated problems. They're symptoms of a system out of balance.

The 5 STRENGTHS Model™ changes that. It provides a holistic roadmap for assessing and strengthening every part of your organization, creating systems that last.

The Five Strengths Every Organization Needs

1. Safety

Your people are your greatest asset and protecting them is non-negotiable.

Safety Strength is about preparedness: crisis response, workplace violence prevention, and proactive awareness that goes beyond compliance. It's not about having a policy in a binder—it's about building capability that works when it matters.

What this looks like:

• Regular, realistic emergency drills that prepare people for actual situations

• Clear, trusted processes for reporting concerns before incidents happen

• Leadership that can execute under pressure, not just follow a script

• Psychological safety; employees feel safe raising concerns without fear of retaliation

• Proactive risk identification before threats escalate

The real test: What happens in the first 90 seconds of an actual emergency? Do people know what to do, or do they freeze? Is there clear leadership, or does chaos take over?

Organizations that invest in Safety Strength earn trust every single day.

2. Leadership

Leadership isn't built in a crisis, it's built long before one ever happens.

Leadership Strength focuses on developing leaders who communicate clearly, manage pressure effectively, and set the tone through example. At D5, we teach leaders to listen first, lead with consistency, and model respect.

What this looks like:

• Clear, consistent communication that ensures people understand and feel heard

• Accountability and follow-through—doing what you say, every time

• Vulnerability and authenticity—admitting mistakes, saying "I don't know"

• Sound decision-making when information is incomplete and stakes are high

• Systematic development of emerging leaders, not hoarding authority

• Leading by example—modeling the values you expect from others

The real test: When things go wrong, do people look to leadership for direction, or work around them? Do they trust you, or just comply out of obligation?

"Great leaders listen to others and make them feel heard and respected." — Sammy Davis

Leadership isn't built in crisis. It's revealed. Build it now, before you need it.

3. Cultural

Culture determines whether an organization thrives or fractures under stress.

Cultural Strength means creating an environment where inclusion, respect, and accountability fuel performance. Psychological safety isn't a trend, it's the foundation that allows people to innovate, collaborate, and engage fully.

What this looks like:

• People can speak up, disagree, and raise concerns without fear of retaliation

• Everyone feels they have a place and a voice (inclusion, not just diversity)

• Stated values match daily experience—what you say is what you do

• Recognition is frequent and meaningful, not rare and generic

• Conflict is addressed constructively, not avoided until it explodes

• Departments collaborate rather than compete

The real test: What do people do when no one is watching? Do they speak up when they see problems, or stay silent? Do they help colleagues from other departments, or protect their turf?

Culture isn't what you say in meetings. It's what people experience every day.

4. Adaptive

The workplace is changing faster than ever.

Adaptive Strength prepares teams to navigate uncertainty and pivot with purpose. When employees learn how to embrace change instead of resist it, your organization transforms disruption into opportunity.

What this looks like:

• The organization expects and prepares for change rather than being surprised by it

• Failures are examined and learned from, not hidden or repeated

• Calculated risks and experimentation are encouraged, not punished

• Processes can flex when circumstances demand it

• Planning for what's coming, not just managing what's here

• Resilience under stress—the organization bends but doesn't break

The real test: When the plan falls apart, do people pivot effectively or freeze? Are failures analyzed for learning or blamed on individuals? Can your processes adapt, or are they rigid regardless of circumstances?

You can't stop change. You can only decide whether you'll be a victim of it or a master of it.

5. Team

No one leads alone.

Team Strength is what turns strategy into results. It's built through collaboration, shared accountability, and respect for diverse perspectives. When individuals operate as one, organizations become unstoppable.

What this looks like:

• Team members hold each other accountable without management intervention

• When someone drops the ball, it's addressed constructively

• Roles are clear—everyone knows their job and how it connects to others

• Collaborative problem-solving is the norm, not the exception

• Shared purpose—clear, unified goals everyone works toward

• Diverse perspectives are valued and integrated, not just tolerated

The real test: When pressure hits and management isn't in the room, do team members hold each other accountable? Do they coordinate seamlessly, or duplicate effort and create gaps?

Talented individuals are good. Unstoppable teams are better.

The Integration Principle: Why All Five Must Work Together

Here's what we've learned from 20 years of law enforcement, crisis response, and organizational training:

Organizations don't fail because they're weak everywhere. They fail because they're strong in one area and weak in others and those weaknesses undermine everything else.

The five strengths don't operate independently. They reinforce or undermine each other.

Examples:

• Safety without Leadership = Protocols that aren't followed because leaders don't model them

• Leadership without Culture = Commands that aren't embraced because trust doesn't exist

• Culture without Adaptive Strength = A comfortable environment that becomes rigid and resists necessary change

• Adaptive Strength without Team Strength = Change initiatives that fragment because teams can't coordinate

• Team Strength without Safety = Collaboration that collapses when people don't feel psychologically safe

This is why most training fails.

Organizations hire:

• A safety consultant for compliance training

• A leadership coach for executives

• A culture consultant for engagement surveys

• An HR firm for team building

These initiatives never talk to each other. The result? Disconnected efforts that don't compound.

Six months later, despite all the investment, nothing has fundamentally changed.

The D5 Difference

Where others focus on one area, D5 evaluates the full ecosystem.

We start with a fundamental question: "Where is this organization strong, and where are the gaps that undermine everything else?"

Through The 5 STRENGTHS Model™, we help organizations:

✓ Identify hidden gaps across leadership, safety, and culture✓ Strengthen communication and trust across all levels✓ Build systems that adapt to change instead of react to it✓ Create a culture of accountability and collaboration✓ Measure progress with before/after assessment

This isn't a one-time training, it's a framework for sustainable growth and long-term resilience.

Built by Practitioners, Not Theorists

Most organizational consultants come from corporate training or academia. D5 comes from the front lines.

Sammy Davis, Co-Founder and Lead Trainer at D5 Consulting Group, is a respected leader in law enforcement, a former Director of Training, and a graduate of the FBI National Academy (Session #292), an elite leadership program completed by fewer than 1% of law enforcement professionals worldwide.

With over 20 years of experience leading crisis response operations, training law enforcement officers, and managing high-stakes situations, Sammy brings a rare blend of public-sector and organizational expertise. He has also served as a training coordinator in the public sector, where he designed and implemented large scale programs focused on leadership, safety, and professional development across multiple agencies.

In addition to his work with D5, Sammy is a professor in the Business Department at the local community college, where he teaches courses on leadership, organizational behavior, and communication. His work in higher education reflects his ability to translate lessons from law enforcement into the language of business, bridging the gap between real world experience and organizational success.

Combined with Amira Davis's 25+ years in B2B sales, organizational development, and client success, D5 bridges the gap between crisis management expertise and business results.

"We speak the language of ROI, not just feel-good development."

How It Works: The D5 5 STRENGTHS Assessment™

Every engagement with D5 starts with understanding where you are.

The D5 5 STRENGTHS Assessment™ is a comprehensive diagnostic that evaluates your organization across all five strength areas.

What you get:

• 45-60 minute structured conversation with key stakeholders

• Overall Organizational Resilience Score (1-10 scale)

• Individual scores for each of the five strengths

• Clear identification of your top strengths and critical vulnerabilities

• Specific observations and findings per strength area

• Risk analysis if gaps remain unaddressed

• Recommended development pathway and next steps

This assessment does three things:

1. Creates clarity – You'll know exactly where to focus instead of guessing

2. Builds buy-in – Leadership sees the data and understands why integrated development matters

3. Establishes a baseline – You can measure progress and prove ROI over time

Three Ways to Work With D5

Tier 1: Rapid Response

For organizations with an immediate, focused need

• Single-topic training or workshop (workplace violence, active shooter, crisis leadership)

• Complimentary 5 STRENGTHS Snapshot Assessment

• Identification of broader organizational vulnerabilities

• Duration: 1 day to 1 week

Common entry points: After an incident, compliance requirement, specific safety need

Tier 2: Strength-Specific Deep Dive

For organizations ready to address multiple connected areas

• Full 5 STRENGTHS Assessment

• Development of 2-3 connected strength areas (e.g., Safety + Leadership + Culture)

• Multi-session engagement over 3-6 months

• Training, coaching, and implementation support

• Progress check-ins and post-engagement reassessment

Common combinations: Safety + Leadership + Culture (most popular), Leadership + Adaptive + Team

Tier 3: Full 5 STRENGTHS Transformation

For organizations committed to comprehensive, long-term resilience

• Comprehensive assessment across all five strengths

• 12-18 month partnership with quarterly milestones

• Executive coaching, team workshops, culture interventions

• Regular progress measurement and recalibration

• Sustainability planning for lasting impact

For organizations that understand: Transformation takes time, and the cost of not changing is too high to ignore.

What Makes This Work

1. It's Integrated, Not IsolatedWe assess the full system, strengthen what's weak, and ensure all five strengths reinforce each other.

2. It's MeasurableWe establish baselines, track progress, and prove results. You'll know whether it's working, not just feel like it might be.

3. It's PracticalScenario-based learning, real case studies, tactical application. This isn't feel-good content, it's capability building.

4. It's SustainableWe build your internal capacity so the systems we create outlast our engagement.

5. It's Built from Real ExperienceThis framework comes from managing actual crises, leading teams under pressure, and training organizations for 20+ years. Not from theory, from the field.

Final Thought

Like a lion, organizational strength isn't about force, it's about balance.

When safety, leadership, culture, adaptability, and teamwork align, organizations don't just get stronger, they get smarter.

At D5, we don't just deliver training, we help build systems of strength that last.

Most organizations call us after something goes wrong. Proactive ones call us before.

Take the First Step: Schedule Your Free 5 STRENGTHS Assessment

The easiest way to start is with clarity.

The D5 5 STRENGTHS Assessment™ is complimentary. It takes about an hour, and you'll walk away with a clear picture of your organizational resilience, your strongest areas and your biggest vulnerabilities.

No obligation. Just insight.

Ready to discover where your organization stands?

📧 Email: info@d5consultinggroupllc.com 📞 Call: (607) 205-86528 🌐 Visit: www.d5consultinggroupllc.com