As early as the 1970s, researchers identified that groups of individuals working together progress through four distinct stages of development. The most well-known framework for this is Tuckman and Jensen’s model, which includes Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. Over time, an additional stage—Adjourning—was introduced to represent the natural conclusion of a group’s life cycle. These stages can be likened to human development: infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.
As a team member or leader, one of your responsibilities is to facilitate the growth and development of the group. In some cases, teams may come together for a brief period, and your goal will be to help them reach a productive stage as quickly as possible. In other situations, the emphasis may shift toward building strong relationships.
Consider your feelings when you first learned you would be attending this workshop. While this experience may not perfectly mirror the stages of team development, it can reflect how new team members might feel when joining a group.
Stage One: Forming
At this stage, team members:
- May be anxious, adapt a wait-and-see attitude, and/or be formal
- Have no clear idea of goals or expectations
- Need to get to know one another
- May not be sure why they are there
A leader can help by:
- Planning introductions and an orientation
- Using icebreakers
- Establishing ground rules
- Determining decision-making methods
Stage Two: Storming
At this stage:
- Team members are eager to get going and they may be impatient with delays
- Conflict can arise as people bring different ideas of how to accomplish goals
- People notice differences rather than similarities
- Some members may drop out mentally or physically
A leader can help by:
- Modeling appropriate behaviors
- Separating problems from people
- Enforcing ground rules and their role by maintaining control of the process
- Keeping in mind that conflict can be healthy
To move to the next stage, participants have to put the needs of the group ahead of their personal interests.
Stage Three: Norming
At this stage, team members:
- Begin to recognize ways they are alike
- Realize that they are in this together as a team
- Get more social
- May forget their focus in favor of having a good time
Many groups do not make it to this stage, where there is much more cooperation and understanding than previous stages.
During this stage, the leader should:
- Be observant of emerging group behaviors
- Encourage the team to express their differences positively
- Help the team to stay focused on their objectives
Stage Four: Performing
At this stage, team members:
- Are mature
- Understand their roles and responsibilities
- Want more input in processes
- Are self-motivated and self-trained
The transition to this phase happens as a demonstration of high levels of trust. However, the team can be susceptible to “group think,” so a leader must help ensure that individual ideas are considered. The leader must avoid intervening in the process unless the group becomes stuck and begins to flounder, or they regress to a previous stage and erupt in conflict.
Stage Five: Adjourning
At this stage, team members are:
- Winding down and saying goodbye
- Setting goals for future work independently and/or as part of new groups
Groups may adjourn because they finish a defined project or because they are no longer challenged. If there are new members, that can shift the group into a previous stage.
In this phase leaders can support the group by:
- Celebrating participants’ participation
- Describing what is going on
- Looking for and encouraging contribution from everyone as the group winds down
- Encouraging continued productivity
Forming an Effective Team
Not everyone will approach the formation of a successful work team in the same way, but success often depends on following the steps we’ve outlined.
There is a natural inclination to assemble teams comprised of individuals who are similar to ourselves. However, if you have the opportunity to form a team, it’s crucial to consider the diverse strengths that different members can bring. For existing teams, reorganization may require more nuanced strategies. For instance, you could gather the team to discuss your objectives and explore how each member can contribute.
You’ll find that imposing goals on individuals is less effective than allowing them to express the goals they wish to pursue. However, setting these goals can be challenging. Often, they end up being unrealistic, overly vague, difficult to measure, or lacking specific deadlines.
Additionally, allocating time for reflection and evaluation is essential. Consider whether the last project achieved its full potential. What changes could have made a difference? Be sure to apply the insights gained from these reflections to your future projects.
