Every time people interact they change the nature of future interactions. Individuals will retain a certain amount of information from each event, meeting, discussions, etc. that will create future interactions.

We have this problem with teams and organizations. When a team really clicks they think they have "made it!" When an organization is on the top and beating the competition, they think they have succeeded. And to a certain extent in both cases you are correct. For that moment anyway your have "made it" or succeeded, and now is not the time to relax.

To continue to be successful, to continue to click as a team, every member of the team needs to be fully engaged, fully educated and skilled to navigate through the challenges. Henry Mitzberg stated in Fast Company that "Management is not a profession, nor is it science. It is a practice that depends mostly on craft and significantly on art." Teams are also a "practice" and need to continually develop the art of teamwork and hone the craft of collaboration. The theory of teams is easy; it's the application that gets sticky.

Teams (and organizations) need to not look at past success for future strategies. Team members need to be identifying new techniques, tools, and models to meet the customer's needs. The competition is constantly evolving. There are always new kids on the block to upset the current reality. Wouldn't you want your teams to be the "new kids" on the block that keeps knocking out the competition?

Continual vigilance on practicing and conditioning your teams are the key to current and future success. Happy teaming.

By: Margie Thomas