In evolutionary biology, the Red Queen Hypothesis posits that organisms must constantly adapt and evolve — not merely for competitive advantage, but to survive while others around them are also evolving. Named after a character in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass, the hypothesis suggests that “it takes all the running you can do, to stay in the same place.” Though originally developed to explain coevolution in biological systems, this concept has striking relevance for understanding modern team dynamics — especially in fast-paced and complex environments where significant coordination among teammates is required. 

The Red Queen Hypothesis can illuminate the inner workings of supply chain teams, emphasizing the necessity of continuous adaptation, considering dynamics of intra- and inter-team coordination and the risks of stagnation in organizational ecosystems. The principles apply to teams of all sizes, structures, functions and industries.  

Continuous adaptation within teams 

Supply chain teams operate within ever-shifting internal and external environments — organizational restructuring, technological change, evolving customer expectations and workforce turnover all exert continuous pressure. In this context, teams resemble organisms in a coevolutionary race. Their ability to maintain effectiveness depends on constantly adjusting goals, roles, communication patterns and processes. 

From a Red Queen perspective, adaptation is an ongoing process. A high-performing team that rests on its laurels — continuing with the same workflows or decision protocols in a changing context — risks degradation. Team members must therefore engage in continuous learning, feedback loops and experimentation to maintain alignment and productivity. Psychological safety and learning culture play critical roles in enabling this ongoing evolution. 

Coevolution and competition across teams

The Red Queen Hypothesis emphasizes that progress is relative: An organism's fitness must improve in tandem with its competitors' adaptations. Similarly, in organizational ecosystems where multiple teams coexist — whether in business, academia, government or other domains — one team’s innovations can create new baselines for performance. 

Consider software development teams in a competitive tech company. If one team adopts a novel approach that dramatically accelerates deployment, it raises expectations across the entire organization. Peer teams must evolve in response, adapting tools, skill sets or collaborative practices. Otherwise, they risk falling behind in both perception and performance. 

In this context, collaboration and competition become intertwined. Teams may share knowledge and align toward common goals, but they are also competitively assessed for limited resources as well as special recognition and influence. The Red Queen lens helps explain the intense, competitive dynamics that arise from these dual pressures, highlighting why even well-functioning teams cannot afford to stand still. 

Feedback loops and escalating complexity

A further insight from the Red Queen Hypothesis is the role of feedback loops in escalating complexity. When supply chain teams respond to external threats or opportunities by upgrading their capabilities, they inadvertently raise the bar for others. This leads to a cycle of mutual adaptation that can generate significant organizational transformation — but also rising complexity. 

In team dynamics, this might manifest in increasingly sophisticated workflows, specialized roles or multilayered decision-making structures. While these adaptations can confer short-term benefits, they also risk overengineering and fragility if not guided by purpose. Understanding Red Queen dynamics encourages supply chain decision-makers to manage complexity consciously, prioritizing modularity, transparency and agility to prevent evolutionary dead ends. 

Implications for leadership and team design

From a supply chain leadership perspective, applying Red Queen thinking to team dynamics reinforces the importance of designing teams for resilience rather than static excellence. Rather than optimizing for a single “ideal” configuration, supply chain executives should foster adaptability by: 

• Encouraging cross-training and flexible roles 

• Fostering common perspectives and practices for team learning 

• Supporting lightweight, iterative planning cycles 

• Empower teams to make decisions locally and share leadership responsibilities

These design principles help teams respond more fluidly to environmental shifts and keep pace in the evolutionary race. Supply chain organizations should also pay attention to external signals and emerging trends, ensuring that teams are not adapting in isolation but are attuned to broader system dynamics. 

Red queen fatigue

An important aspect of the Red Queen Hypothesis to keep in mind is the psychological toll of constant adaptation. Just as organisms in a coevolutionary race expend enormous energy simply to maintain their niche, teams in perpetual motion can experience fatigue, stress and disengagement. In a supply chain context, perhaps there are excessive pivots, unclear priorities or the erosion of work-life balance.

If these things happen, they must be tempered by periods of consolidation and rest. High-functioning teams match the pace of change with rhythms that allow for reflection, bonding and recovery. Mitigate Red Queen fatigue by setting clear boundaries, celebrating progress and periodically simplifying processes that have grown overly complex. Doing so ensures supply chain organizations are well-positioned to cultivate resilient, learning-oriented teams. The race never stops; but with awareness, strategy and care, teams can thrive while keeping pace in the evolutionary game. 

Ready to empower your team for continuous adaptation and sustainable resilience? Discover ASCM's team learning and development solutions today.