Teaming: “Teamwork on the fly”
Too many of us still talk about teams as though they’re fixed entities - boxes on an org chart or units defined by structure and permanence. But the nature of modern work (and the future of work) tells a different story. Increasingly, teams need to collaborate across shifting boundaries, jumping into projects with colleagues they’ve never worked with before, solving complex problems on tight timelines, or adapting to new working environments (such as joining remote or hybrid teams).
That’s where the concept of teaming comes in.
Teaming shifts out thinking of teams and, Unlike traditional teams, which are stable and clearly bounded, teaming is a dynamic process. It’s not something you are part of. Teaming something you do. In other words, teaming is a verb.
This simple shift in language carries major implications. Teaming recognises that in fast-paced, knowledge-driven environments (think start-ups, software firms, crisis response teams, to list a few) work doesn’t wait for formal team formation. People must jump in, align quickly, share knowledge rapidly, and get things done, often without any long-term relationship or clear role structure. It’s collaboration on the fly, requiring not just technical skills but a high degree of interactional resilience.
In high-pressure, high-stakes settings, successful outcomes often depend less on the brilliance of individuals and more on their ability to interact effectively under uncertain conditions. Teaming, in this context, is about learning and executing at the same time. It involves speaking up, collaboration, experimentation, and reflection. Fundamentally, teaming relies on interactional agility and adaptability in the endeavour of task completion and continues improvement.
Team that engage in teaming are more likely to respond effectively to disruptions, identify improvements early, and build collective understandings and shared knowledge. Their agility provides a solid basis upon which they can be ready to tackle any change presented to them together.
Much of today’s most important work cuts across boundaries, functions, specialisations, and even time zones and languages. Teaming is what allows organisations to operate in that complexity with coherence and purpose, ensuring every team member shares the same goal and understands what needs to be done to achieve it.
So the next time you’re asked to jump into a new project, work with unfamiliar colleagues, or navigate a tough challenge on the fly, remember: you don’t have to be part of a team to team. What matters is how you speak up, collaborate, experiment, and reflect as you work towards your shared goals as a team.
