This may be a prevailing topic but we believe it’s an important one.  In the past we have considered components to successful team building; clearly defined goals, individual accountability, trust, communication (effective) and recognition.   This article will build on this premise because it represents the core to creating a team.  Building a great team requires strict adherence to this premise along with a commitment to having the right people on your team filling the right roles.

Let’s assume that you have a great team.  You’ve got the right people doing their job better than you could have imagined.  Everyone in the group is clear on what their responsibilities are and does them with passion.  If a mistake is made amongst the team it’s quickly acknowledge corrected and steps implemented to reduce the likelihood of it happening in the future.  The general work atmosphere is refreshing, people get along well.  Communication couldn’t be better; in fact, one would say that within your team there is over communication, everyone knows what’s going on; from the office staff to the cage wash.  And it’s with great pride that you have implemented a recognition program that makes individuals within the team and the team as a whole feels valued and appreciated.

Well that was easy!

Now the rub -   How do you keep it great?  It is no small accident when greatness is achieved on any team, maintaining a team at a high level of effectiveness and efficiency is equally no small task and maybe a bit of a miracle.  Should you be so fortunate to have built or been a part of a great team that has sustained its greatness over many years than I suggest you have at least on reason to most grateful.

This next series of articles will be devoted to this topic of maintaining great teams.  I will expound on what I have learned from my observation of many teams and from which I have learned from Jim Collins author of How the Mighty Fall and Built to Last.   By considering how teams fail, we can learn from the mistakes of others and choose an alternate and better course.  Here are the 5 stages of a failing team we will explore:

1.  Arrogance born out of rapid success
2. Over Reaching – Building too quickly upon your success
3. Failure to acknowledge drifts and deviations in your processes
4. Grasping for salvation: There’s a problem and it’s Big!
5. Death of a Team – The world no longer needs what you have to offer.

Just writing that is sobering!  It’s my hope that you have a great team.   That you go to bed on Sunday evening looking forward to the upcoming work week.  Even if that AALAC program description is due, the PIs are calling for you head because the per diems were raised last week ( 1^st time in 10 years), you have several key staff away on holiday and it just feels like it’s time for a USDA visit.  And with all of that going on you can look forward to the work week because you have great people around you and together the team will get through it all continuing do what they do best.

“Time flies”!  Whether you’re having fun or not, time really doesn’t wait for any of us.  In looking back on a year that seems to have flown by there are so many things that I have reflected on.  The most significant is that over this past year, we at ACTS have been able to connect with so many people all over the world in ways that I never imagined possible.

As you read this article just before the holidays I want to say thank you to all the good people that we have had the chance to connect with over the past year.  Thank you for the opportunity to share our passion and expertise with you.  Thank you for sharing your passion and expertise with us. Thank you for reaching out to us, thank you for stopping by our booth, for visiting our website and for joining us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.

We do what we do for people like you in our industry.  One of our mantras at ACTS is “Trained people perform better”.  It’s a pretty simple statement but it keeps in front of us the idea that people, above all, matter the most. It’s our desire to provide the best training we can, to not only ensure the highest quality of animal care but also to empower people to do be their absolute best.

Sometime it is very easy to look into the future and think about all the things that are to come, which is a good thing, but we want to stop and reflect for a moment and take the time to Thank You for helping make this year memorable.

It’s my hope that you will be able to take a moment during this crazy and exhilarating time to reflect back on your 2011 and take the opportunity to thank those people who have helped make a positive impact in your life and career this year.

So from all of us at ACTS we want to wish you a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous and empowered 2012!