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Based on the New York Times best-selling book,  The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni, The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™ is a model and workplace learning program that guides teams through a process towards improvement in five areas that are key to high-performing and productive teams.

Five Behaviors

April 2015 - TD Magazine

Team Building and Group Dynamics

Consulting is an attractive career option for professionals eager to share their knowledge and experience to improve workplaces and foster growth in organizations. The freedom of a self-directed work life, choosing clients that align with your ethos, and bringing in substantial earnings are some of the draws of starting a consulting practice. With your own practice, you will encounter many challenges and growth opportunities that might not come in a traditional employment situation. You can take what you’ve learned from your years of experience in talent development to become a trusted advisor and active partner to different organizations.To keep up with a rapidly changing landscape, every consultant can benefit from different perspectives on how their peers start, build, and scale their consulting practice. We asked two contributors for ATD’s Handbook for Consultants the questions that every consultant should ask themselves routinely throughout their career. Together, Sharon Wingron and Dolores Kuchina-Musina bring close to 40 years of experience to give you valuable insights to take into your consulting career. If you’re launching your company, are steadily growing, or need a new direction after years in business, these experts provide an honest glimpse into their practices, lessons learned, and advice for creating and sustaining a rewarding and meaningful career as a consultant.How did you decide to become a consultant?Sharon: With a degree in engineering management and work experience in telecommunications and manufacturing, I completed my MBA and decided it was time to figure out what I really wanted to be when I grew up. I did several informational interviews, took personality and career assessments, and reflected on my strengths, talents, and dreams. After my “year of reflection,” I determined I was destined to be in the training and development profession, and that having my own consulting business would be the best way to fulfill my purpose and have the flexibility and lifestyle I desired.Dolores: I chose consultancy due to my inherent curiosity and passion for unraveling complex systems. Raised in a physics-centric household, with my mother and grandmother holding PhDs, I learned the value of inquiry and exploration early on. Despite this scientific backdrop, I gravitated toward contract law and negotiation, fascinated by their creative use of language to shape outcomes. Venturing from science to law allowed me to nurture my creativity while engaging in intellectually stimulating work. Pursuing a PhD deepened my understanding of contracts, particularly Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs), enriching my analytical toolkit for navigating innovation policy. As a consultant, I’m driven by curiosity and a commitment to effecting meaningful change in contracts and innovation.What’s something unique or unconventional about your consulting practice?Sharon: Early on, I decided I wanted “products” to pay for life and my “services” to provide a positive contribution to the world and fuel my passion. I became an independent distributor of Carlson Learning Company’s DiSC assessments, which provided the opportunity to sell the assessments directly or embed them in my services. Being a part of this network supported my ongoing professional development while the tools legitimized my offerings and gave me frameworks to build on. Over time, this evolved into being an Authorized Partner for the Wiley Workplace Learning Solutions of Everything DiSC, The Five Behaviors, and PXT Select.Dolores: REXOTA’s consultancy stands out for its focus on fostering cross-sector collaboration and transforming innovation policy. While many firms target specific sectors, REXOTA bridges businesses, government, and academia, offering a holistic approach. It prioritizes practicality over theory, delivering measurable solutions for real-world applications. This approach reflects my diverse experience and ensures clients receive tailored actionable insights. Moreover, REXOTA’s mission to redefine acquisition practices underscores its forward-thinking ethos. By advocating education and support, it empowers clients to navigate innovation policy confidently. REXOTA’s commitment to cross-sector collaboration, practical solutions, and innovative acquisition strategies positions it as a leader in consultancy for driving impactful change.What’s your litmus test to determine if a potential client will turn into a mutually fulfilling relationship?Sharon: In our discovery and needs assessment discussions, I get a feel for the company and their leadership approach, as well as the services they are requesting and the outcomes they are pursuing. In addition, I seek information about their timeline, budget, and internal resources. While it is important to ensure I have the capacity and skillset to do the work and they have the resources to support a successful project, ultimately their foundational philosophy needs to align with my values and beliefs. I’ve learned that if they don’t value people as I do, the relationship won’t work.Dolores: I employ a litmus test aligned with REXOTA’s ethos. Firstly, I gauge alignment of objectives, ensuring shared values and missions. Collaboration is pivotal; I seek clients who value teamwork for mutual success. Prioritizing practical solutions over theory is key, resonating with REXOTA’s approach. Long-term commitment matters: I assess clients’ interest in sustained collaboration. Lastly, respect for expertise is crucial; clients valuing REXOTA’s cross-sector insights foster a trusting relationship. This multifaceted evaluation ensures partnerships are productive and mutually fulfilling, echoing REXOTA’s commitment to driving impactful change in innovation policy and acquisition practices.What’s a consulting mistake you made at the beginning of your career, and what did you learn from it?Sharon: Early in my career, I said “yes” to too many projects. This had negative outcomes: I did work that I wasn’t the best suited for, and I over-extended myself. I’ve learned to deeply consider the needs of the client, my skills and passion for the work, and my physical, mental, and energetic capacity to deliver excellent results, both from a project outcome basis and a client relationship perspective. I’ve learned to be more realistic regarding what I’m capable of and to manage my calendar conscientiously: blocking time, noting other responsibilities and commitments, and ensuring balanced work/rest/play time.Dolores: In my eagerness to always grow and meet the needs of my current and future clients, I sometimes took on more work than I could handle effectively, leading to high stress without asking for help. From this experience, I learned the importance of setting realistic expectations and managing workload effectively. I realized that it’s crucial to carefully assess my capacity and capabilities of myself before accepting new projects. Additionally, I learned the value of clear communication with clients regarding project timelines, deliverables, and potential challenges. I discovered the significance of prioritization and delegation. Recognizing that I couldn’t handle everything on my own, I brought on additional team members to help manage the workload. By delegating tasks appropriately and leveraging the strengths of my team, we could deliver higher-quality work within the allocated time frame. Ultimately, this mistake taught me valuable lessons about workload prioritization and the importance of building a capable team. These lessons have since guided my approach to consulting, resulting in more successful outcomes for both me and my clients.What’s an aspect of consulting that you still find challenging? What do you find rewarding about getting to the other side of it?Sharon: Like many consultants, I struggle to set my fees and price my projects, especially if it is a more complex, longer-term project. There are always so many variables to take into consideration. I prefer to use a “value-based” fee (popularized by Alan Weiss); however, it can be challenging to nail down the outcomes we are working toward and set up appropriate measures since we are focused on “soft/people” topics such as leadership development and culture. I am relieved when we move past the financial aspects and can focus on doing good work that makes a positive difference in people’s lives.Dolores: Staying in tune with the rapidly evolving consulting landscape poses a perpetual challenge. The industry continually births fresh methodologies, tools, and best practices, demanding constant learning and adaptation to maintain relevance. Embracing this challenge fosters expertise expansion, novel ideation, and innovative problem-solving for clients. By investing in ongoing education and skill refinement, I establish myself as a trusted advisor equipped to navigate the dynamic business milieu. Successfully navigating evolving trends empowers me to deliver heightened value, utilizing cutting-edge tools and methodologies to drive tangible results. Witnessing the transformative impact on clients’ enterprises reaffirms my dedication to perpetual learning and innovation in consultancy.Improve your skills with ATD’s certificate for consulting. Learn a five-phase consulting model to reach learning project performance goals.Browse chapters 10 and 19, and download a sample chapter of ATD’s Handbook for Consultants to get more in-depth insights on setting up, running, and growing your practice from Sharon and Dolores and the more than 37 consultants who contributed to this essential resource. In each chapter, you’ll get actionable consulting tips, in-depth discussions, resources, and other tools.How will you transform your consulting practice today?Sharon Wingron, CPTD®, has been enabling clients to connect, adapt, and thrive in the workplace with assessment-based solutions that develop PEOPLE (personal excellence–organizational performance–leadership effectiveness) since 2002. She is an award-winning Everything DiSC by Wiley Authorized Partner and a leader in the application of psychometric assessments. Sharon travels widely and supports clients around the world.Dolores Kuchina-Musina, PhD, MBA, PPCM, CFCM, NCMA Fellow, is the chief disruptor at REXOTA Solutions, a company in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area focused on strategy, planning, pursuit, capture, management, and administration of federal contract and agreement awards. Dolores has more than 10 years of experience in federal, state, and international public procurement.

Building a Career in Consulting: Insights From Two Seasoned Consultants

Wiley creates products and services to help people become more effective in the workplace and achieve career success. We bring the ideas and best practices of thought leaders to life—serving workplace communities worldwide. Our highly respected global brands include:  Everything DiSC®, The Leadership Challenge® by best-selling authors Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner and The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team by best-selling author Patrick Lencioni.

EverythingDiSC

How do you measure success?  Sharon Wingron, CPTD, measures it by your “PEOPLE”:  Personal Excellence – Organizational Performance – Leadership Effectiveness.  As President and Chief People Officer of Wings of Success LLC, Sharon has been helping clients achieve success since 2002. Sharon and her team enable people to connect and thrive in the workplace by providing in-person and virtual assessment-based solutions which DevelopPEOPLETM.  She is a dynamic, authentic professional who delivers engaging presentations, skillful facilitation, insightful coaching and relevant resources.Sharon has demonstrated leadership in the Talent Development profession as the first member of the ATD Board of Directors to achieve the Certified Professional in Talent Development designation (CPTD, previously CPLP), by serving on the National Advisors for Chapters, by being an annual reviewer for the Excellence in Practice Awards, and be being one of a select group of facilitators for the ATD Master Trainer Program. Additionally, Sharon is a sought-after presenter at industry conferences including the ATD International Conference and Expo on topics including assessing and selecting psychometric assessments, utilizing DiSC and other assessments in Talent Development, and bringing Personal Excellence and Leadership Effectiveness into facilitation.Sharon is a leading Authorized Partner of the Wiley Workplace Solutions brands of Everything DiSC, The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team, and PXT Select. Her DevelopPEOPLE team is in in the top 1% of all Everything DiSC providers worldwide, supplying profiles, facilitation materials, and facilitator certification to thousands of people each year. She also is a Certified Coach and Associate of the Integro Leadership Institute's Trust-Inside assessments.Sharon lives on a lake outside of St. Louis, MO with her husband and two cats and boards her horse nearby. She enjoys boating, swimming, cruising, trail riding, and hanging out with her daughter and friends.

Sharon Wingron, CPTD

When people come to Gale Mote’s presentations and workshops, they usually leave with one key question: “Where does she get that energy?” For 25 years, Gale has been designing and delivering motivational workshops and training classes for all types of industries and organizations. Her firm, Gale Mote Associates, specializes in high-performance work cultures, team development, emotional intelligence, frontline manager training, and organization development consulting. Prior to starting her own company in 1990, Gale worked for various manufacturing enterprises including Del Monte, Square D Corporation, Quaker Oats, and Norand Corporation. In 2014, Gale received one of only four President and Provost Awards for Teaching Excellence from the University of Iowa. Gale has been twice honored by the YWCA Tribute to Women of Achievement. In 2005, she was awarded the Advanced Entrepreneur Award From Women Entrepreneurs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Gale is a four-time award winner for the Best of Cedar Rapids Award in the Industrial & Labor Consulting Services category by the U.S. Commerce Association. Gale is a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance by ATD and is also an ATD Master Performance Consultant. In addition, Gale is a Certified Coach and Facilitator for EQ-i 2.0, a psychometric assessment that measures emotional intelligence and its effect on people and the workplace. Gale is also an Authorized Partner with Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team and is an Everything DiSC Authorized Partner. Everything DiSC is a transformational tool to help you understand yourself and others to have more effective relationships. She is a graduate of Coe College with multiple degrees in business, economics, and education. Gale holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Iowa, where she is an adjunct lecturer in the Tippie College of Business Professional MBA Program.

Gale Mote

Tom Bux is an L&D manager for an online retailer’s fulfillment center, where he is responsible for the training and development of more than 400 employees. Bux works with local workforce development boards and learning organizations to leverage regional resources to empower employees in their learning and career goals. He is certified in the Five Behaviors of an Effective Team and DiSC.

Tom Bux

Operating amid rapid technological advancement, global uncertainty, and evolving public scrutiny, government agencies find traditional leadership and change approaches insufficient. To meet today’s challenges and build leaders capable of addressing tomorrow’s disruptions, organizations must make capability building a sustained and strategic imperative.Capability building develops the mindsets, behaviors, and systems that enable organizations to adapt quickly, align around shared goals, and take decisive action—even in ambiguity. As the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report highlights, 44 percent of core skills are expected to change within five years. An ATD study echoes this urgency, with 76 percent of government talent development professionals reporting a workforce skills gap. With investment in capabilities historically linked to improved policy outcomes and staff engagement, coupled with the stricter funding environment, cultivating a learning culture to strengthen organizational adaptability is no longer optional. Strategic action grounded in robust capability building enables agencies to outmaneuver uncertainty and accelerate results through the following interdependent pillars:Strengthening organizational adaptability by fostering a culture that embraces change, encourages learning, and responds quickly to emerging challengesEnabling fast and flexible decision making by empowering individuals and teams with authority and tools for swift actionAccelerating action to achieve results by focusing on visible progress, generating momentum, and demonstrating meaningful outcomes are possible, even amid ambiguityFor government leaders, this framework provides a blueprint to adapt confidently and with resilience. That said, translating these pillars into real capability demands investing in skill development and behavioral change across all levels.To strengthen adaptability, organizations need strategic foresight and systems thinking to anticipate trends and understand ripple effects. Cultivating an agile mindset, including encouraging iterative problem solving, experimentation, and rapid learning, is equally vital. At the leadership level, change leadership becomes essential, guiding teams through uncertainty with clarity and embedding adaptability into culture.Fast, flexible decision making relies on critical thinking, problem solving, and data literacy, enabling timely and informed choices. Empowerment and communication are central to this, fostering trust through delegated authority, transparency, and clarity. A notable example is the Department of Health and Human Services’ “Buy Smarter” initiative, which leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) in procurement to enhance agility in its process, resulting in a projected savings of $720 million. This demonstrates that equipping teams to act with speed and clarity pays off.To accelerate action, organizations must empower execution, ensuring plans translate into momentum. While digital fluency equips teams to leverage tools for innovation and efficiency, a culture of continuous learning and feedback enables rapid adaptation. Momentum also builds in organizations that foster continuous learning cultures: A Deloitte study found that such organizations are 92 percent more likely to develop innovative products, 52 percent more productive, and 56 percent more likely to be first to market, and they achieve 17 percent higher profitability compared to peers. In government, that translates to faster program delivery, reduced waste, and greater resilience. When progress is visible, outcomes follow.Ultimately, it’s not just about surviving change; it’s about using it to lead. Aligning these cultural expectations and structural supports with leadership behaviors creates an environment where adaptability is expected and results are fully seen. Building this requires leadership commitment, as evidenced by a McKinsey study that found that when senior leaders model behaviors, broad adoption of these behaviors increases 5.3 times.Adaptability is no longer optional, and the creation of an adaptable culture is not happenstance. Agencies that invest in building these capabilities gain a competitive edge in mission delivery and public trust. By embedding adaptability into culture and equipping teams with change leadership skills, they position themselves to meet complexity with confidence and lead the public sector into a more resilient, future-ready era.

Government’s Edge: Adaptability and Skills for Future-Ready Leadership

Here’s the brutal reality: Most HR teams are often playing defense when they should be playing chess.Just like in chess, a winning HR strategy means thinking several moves ahead, anticipating shifts, and shaping outcomes before they arrive.The most strategic teams already operate this way. We call them HR Anticipators—and they drive 33 percent more high-quality leaders and 2X greater likelihood of top-tier financial performance for their companies.The difference isn’t resources—it’s mindset. While HR Reactor teams scramble to fill today’s gaps, Anticipators are already building tomorrow’s leaders.So, what sets them apart? It comes down to four nonnegotiable behaviors that the best HR teams execute relentlessly. The Four Behaviors That Define HR Anticipators 1. They Align Talent Strategy With Tomorrow’s Business HR Reactors fill vacancies as they arise, taking chances that the right person is in the pipeline or that they strike gold with an external hire.HR Anticipators take a different path. They map three- to five-year business strategies directly to the leadership capabilities they’ll need, using it to guide talent and development decisions now.The payoff? A 24 percent higher success rate for high-potential leaders who deliver real results after promotion. In today’s fast-paced environment, that speed to impact is critical.This foresight and its results don’t go unnoticed. Anticipators are 2.1X more likely to have executive sponsorship—crucial backing that fuels programs with the resources and influence they need to succeed.To get there, Anticipators create nested alignment by tying every leadership capability to specific business outcomes at each level. This builds the bench strength they need to support long-term strategy.If your talent strategy only reaches next quarter, you’re already behind.2. They Forecast Capability Gaps Before They Become Crises Accurate forecasting helps avoid costly missteps and limits the damage when disaster does strike.That’s why Anticipators are 2.7X more likely to use systematic forecasting. Placing talent in the wrong roles is expensive, but it’s avoidable. The key is to plan early and often. These teams run scenario planning monthly or quarterly, not just once a year. This is where they gain an edge. When disruption hits, they have leaders ready, instead of scrambling to find someone “good enough.” Consider this your wake-up call. By the time you feel the leadership gap, it’s already too late.3. They Design Development That Solves Real Business Problems In the HR evolution CEOs are calling for, generic box-checking leadership workshops are out.What’s in? Development tied directly to strategic initiatives—the kind that delivers measurable business outcomes and is tailored to each leader’s current needs and future growth.When development solves real business problems, it becomes a multiplier: Every dollar builds both leader capability and business results.4. They Measure What Matters Anticipators focus their measurement where it matters most: business outcomes.They’ve ditched vanity metrics like completion rates and satisfaction scores in favor of power metrics that resonate across the business: readiness rates, time-to-productivity, and revenue per leader.For example, Anticipators are 2.3X more likely to measure actual succession program effectiveness and results, rather than just participation.If you can’t connect your talent initiatives to bottom-line impact, you’re measuring the wrong things. Conclusion HR faces a critical choice: anticipate or get left behind. Every day in reactive mode is a missed chance to build the leadership advantage your organization needs.Becoming an HR Anticipator demands a full mindset shift: from order-taker to strategic advisor, from filling roles to building capability, from activity metrics to business impact. That’s how you elevate your role and claim the chessboard.The shift from Reactor to Anticipator is proven—and the business impact is waiting. Ready to transform your HR impact? Get the complete Anticipator framework in our HR Insights Report 2025. Read the full report.

From Cost Center to Profit Driver: The HR Evolution CEOs Are Demanding 

Sales success starts with understanding—not selling. While many salespeople focus on pitching features or moving quickly to a proposal, those who consistently succeed are the ones who know how to uncover a prospect’s real reasons to buy.This is the heart of consultative selling: the ability to ask insightful questions, listen actively, and identify the business drivers that move a buyer to act. When done well, it transforms the sales process from a transactional exchange into a meaningful conversation rooted in value.Why Consultative Selling Drives Sales SuccessConsultative selling is more than just a sales technique—it’s a core competency that reflects how well a salesperson can create value through discovery. It requires skill in asking meaningful questions, interpreting both verbal and nonverbal signals, and guiding the conversation toward uncovering urgency, need, and impact.Strong consultative sellers don’t jump to a solution. They start by understanding the problem from the buyer’s perspective. This approach:Reduces stalled or indecisive opportunitiesHelps buyers self-identify urgencyDifferentiates sellers in competitive, commoditized marketsWhen a salesperson takes the time to understand the buyer’s world—their challenges, pressures, and desired outcomes—they’re able to position their offering in a way that resonates deeply. This not only builds trust but also increases the likelihood of progressing the deal forward.Organizations that invest in measuring and developing this skill see tangible improvements in performance. Win rates go up. Sales cycles shorten. Forecasts become more reliable because reps are working real opportunities—not hopeful guesses.Despite its importance, data shows that fewer than one in five sellers are truly proficient in consultative selling—highlighting a major area for improvement across most sales teams.Where It Fits in the Broader Skill SetConsultative selling is one of the Tactical Competencies in sales—the observable, coachable skills that help salespeople guide buyers through the sales process. These are the “doing” skills: what a rep says and does in the field to build credibility, diagnose problems, and move deals forward.While many sales training programs attempt to develop consultative behaviors, they often lack a baseline. Without clear measurements, it’s difficult to know who’s already strong, who’s improving, and who’s struggling. And without measurement, managers are left to rely on anecdotal evidence or personality cues rather than data.A rep who’s confident and articulate might seem consultative—but are they truly uncovering the prospect’s underlying business drivers? Are they asking follow-up questions that dig deeper, or are they just moving from script to script?How Do You Know if Your Team Has This Skill?Without structured evaluation, consultative selling often gets misdiagnosed. A rep might appear personable or polished in meetings, but that doesn’t mean they’re uncovering the real issues behind a buying decision.Years of sales performance data show a consistent pattern: top performers routinely uncover deeper buying motives earlier in the process. They’re more likely to ask questions that challenge assumptions, reveal hidden pain points, and reframe the buyer’s perspective. These aren't “soft skills”—they’re measurable behaviors that correlate strongly with win rates, sales velocity, and deal size.The most effective sales teams don’t rely on gut instinct to gauge whether someone is consultative. They use data to understand which reps are driving meaningful conversations—and which ones are simply checking boxes in discovery.Strengthen This Skill, Strengthen Your PipelineDeveloping strong consultative selling skills isn't just about teaching reps to “ask better questions.” It’s about helping them become true advisors—professionals who drive buyer clarity and create momentum.This often requires ongoing coaching, real-time feedback, and an objective view of each rep’s strengths and weaknesses. Sales managers who can identify consultative gaps early are better equipped to coach them and better positioned to build a pipeline full of high-quality, qualified opportunities.To see how consultative selling fits into the larger framework of sales excellence, explore the full set of 21 Core Sales Competencies. It’s a valuable resource for any organization looking to elevate performance through measurable skill development, and a proven foundation for building a high-performing, consultative sales force.

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