Teams are the primary vehicles through which work gets done and customers get served. It is no exaggeration then to say that teamwork is the heart and soul of an organization. Without it your chances of surviving in the global marketplace are not very good.

The fundamental principles that determine team effectiveness are, in large measure, unchanging (see Teamwork Model), but other aspects of team membership have changed dramatically. Teaming with others who have different knowledge bases and skill sets, as is the case on cross-functional teams, is a new, potentially enriching experience. It also brings with it some new challenges in communicating with others who may come to the team with strikingly different world-views and ways of communicating.

Successful teamwork tends to create loyalty, close friendships, and team cohesiveness. In the past it was commonplace for team membership to remain constant for many years. This will be rarer and rarer in the future. A person entering the workforce today can expect to be a member of dozens of teams within a matter of a few years.

Learning to form new teams, get up to speed quickly, and disband gracefully when the task is completed (often in a matter of weeks) will be a highly valued skill in a world of constant change. In fact, what's needed now is a readiness to team with anyone at the drop of a hat. Informal teaming has always taken place in successful organizations. Leaders need to consciously create the conditions that support it now.

This readiness to team needs to extend outside the organization as well. Teaming with customers and suppliers has already become commonplace. Teaming with competitors for special tasks is happening more and more.

As worthy competitors continue to enter the global marketplace, teamwork will continue to grow in importance.

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