The Five Stages of Team Development Principles of Management

Clashes occur due to different personalities and differences in working styles—the ways things get done. Resentments and irritations that were buried in the last stage erupt and negatively effect the team’s performance. I first remember learning about Tuckman’s 5 Stages of Teams Development and model while a management trainee at a large company. I found it fascinating—because I instantly saw that this model applies to ANY groups—and relationships too. Some leaders are afraid of this stage since tensions may get high during this phase of forming a team. They should be prepared for there to be some tension amongst team members but it is still worth it.

norming stage of team development

The forming stage is also about people getting to know one another. If you’re working remotely, try virtual onboard exercises to forge a group bond and establish buy-in to your vision. Tuckman’s Team and Group Development Model empowers us to understand what stage we are at – and identify actions that we can take to help our team perform better. In addition, as well as taking specific action we can also decide to simply model great behaviour for others. Hopefully the cycle is shorter the next time around, especially if team members are aware.

Practical Tips To Master Storming

Leadership, power, and structural issues dominate this stage. The most commonly used framework for a team’s stages of development was developed in the mid-1960s by Bruce W. Tuckman. Team learning is often necessary to execute healthy team development and providing your team with the tools they need to thrive is good for them and your organization.

Members might disagree over how to complete a task or voice their concerns if they feel that someone isn’t pulling their weight. They may even question the authority five stages of team development principles of management or guidance of group leaders. (Although, it does make the stages easier to remember.) Each is aptly named and plays a vital part in building a high-functioning team.

When you’re on a team full of high performers and go-getters, even the most daunting of goals or end-result becomes a lot easier to face head-on and accomplish. Desktop & Mobile AppsPlan and run productive meetings… wherever you work best. Jira IntegrationTurn action items generated in Fellow into Jira issues so their completion status stays in sync between both tools. Google MeetUse Fellow’s Google Meet extension to collaborate on meeting notes and record action items, right within your video calls. Cross-Functional MeetingsStay aligned on projects, drive progress and accountability, and improve collaboration. Team MeetingsCollaborate on meeting agendas, take notes in real-time, and end every team meeting with an action plan.

  • The forming stage involves a period of orientation and getting acquainted.
  • Next up is the performing stage, which tends to be where there is the most cohesive work environment, people are happy and excited and team performance is at an all-time high.
  • Toggl Track is the time tracker that can slot into any team’s workflow.
  • More often in the corporate world, cross-functional teams will be formed for a project and then disperse at the end of the project.
  • On-Demand DemosEmpower your team to build a culture of productive meetings with these on-demand product tutorials.

Storming is the most difficult and unproductive of the five stages of development, but it is nevertheless vital to the team development process. When team members are upset with themselves, the task, or each other, they learn what causes the most dysfunction. With this information, the team can begin aspiring to a better team dynamic. The storming stage is when a team starts to experience conflicts, disagreements, and challenges. The team members may have different opinions, styles, or preferences.

Leadership strategies to facilitate successful team development

An excellent example of team development is when colleagues from different departments partner to work on a project. The adjourning phase is especially difficult for those people who are habitual of working in teams. Overall, the phase consists of mixed emotions from the members because of the team ending.

The storming stage is the most difficult and critical stage to pass through. It is a period marked by conflict and competition as individual personalities emerge. Team performance may actually decrease in this stage because energy is put into unproductive activities.

The adjourning or mourning stage of team development is where the group parts ways. The project has reached its natural end, and group members acknowledge that while the group has found success, it is time for the team to split and move on to new challenges. The mourning stage paves the way for more growth and learning and new opportunities. This final part of the team building process grants teammates closure and provides a chance to reflect on the experience.

Who invented Tuckman’s Team & Group Development Model?

The leader can then concoct an improvement plan to move team members through the development phases. Teams assembled for specific project or for a finite length of time go through a fifth stage, called adjourning , when the team breaks up. A planned conclusion usually includes recognition for participation and achievement and an opportunity for members to say personal goodbyes. Disbanding a team can create some apprehension, and not all team members handle this well.

norming stage of team development

Teams with strong performance norms and high cohesiveness are high performing. (Sadly, not a perfect rhyme.) Once a project ends, the team disbands. This phase is sometimes known as mourning because members have grown close and feel a loss now that the experience is over. The first stage of team development is forming, which is a lot like orientation day at college or a new job.

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No one is afraid to ask a question, bring up a concern, or pose a new way of going about certain tasks. Everyone can bring their whole self to the team, play to their strengths, and will step up and help one another when it’s needed. Team development will have your team be as successful and as high performing as possible. Learn how these 5 stages will create a high-functioning unit. Draw a simple four-stage diagram and ask each person to place a dot or sticky note next to the stage they think the team is at. Communication in the Workplace Crossed wires and missed connections – good communication among teams is tablestakes for effective teamwork.

This is where teams get to know each other, the abilities of their teammates and the details of the project they will all work on together. The goal at the end of the forming stage is to have a team that is comfortable with one another and excited to begin work on a project. His theory was further developed by PhD student Mary Ann Jensen ten years later. In 1977, she added the last stage — Adjourning — thereby completing what we now know as the modern theory of Team Development. Once their efforts are under way, team members need clarity about their activities and goals, as well as explicit guidance about how they will work independently and collectively. This leads to a period known as storming—because it can involve brainstorming ideas and also because it usually causes disruption.

Stage 1: Forming

The team members have all learned each other’s strengths and weaknesses and can use this knowledge to everyone’s advantage. Every member of the team knows their role in the project and is able to complete their tasks efficiently. As a team leader, it is your job to make sure everyone is seen and heard. When a group of any kind first meets, it’s critical that things start off on the right foot.

Norming to Performing

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One of the ways to measure the performance of a team in the norming stage is to use the RACI matrix. The RACI matrix is a tool that helps to define and assign the roles and responsibilities of each team member for each task or activity. RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.

To establish clear objectives for the group at this first stage, create a team charter. And help team members to set personal goals, so they can see how their work will fit with the bigger picture. During the Ending Stage, some team members may become less focused on the team’s tasks, and their productivity may drop.

In the third stage of team development, Norming, the team begins to gel. Members start to trust each other and feel like they are part of a unit. This is often when the team starts to produce its best work.