The forming stage is truly a honeymoon phase in teamwork—productivity is low, but the team members are too newly acquainted to encounter conflict. In this stage, team members are in the process of learning how to work together. As team members begin collaborating, conflicts may arise, whether that’s from clashing personalities or opinions on how a project should progress. Without a clear understanding of what role each individual plays on the team, relationships can get tumultuous as team members struggle to find a role that’s right for them.

The leader can also organize socialising events to encourage healthy team-bonding that moves a group into the performing stage. A leader is essential at this stage to help the team figure out objectives and team roles and responsibilities. Notice what stage their team is at, helping team members to process and acknowledge the inevitable conflicts and changes during group development. The norming stage is more harmonious since teams understand why it’s important to ask for help, and how to come to you with questions when they need guidance.

It’s different for remote marketing teams because you can’t see what people are working on. To accommodate your remote teams and to make sure your first project team meeting is productive, use a video conferencing platform like Zoom. This way team members can meet from anywhere and share their screen so that everyone can see the project details simultaneously.

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As the name implies, the Storming stage of team development involves some conflict. Group members may compete with each other for areas of responsibility and/or specific tasks. There can also be conflict about the goals and objectives of the project . For those group members who have previously worked together, formerly unresolved issues may even arise. Some conflict can be good as it can help work through issues, as well as determine whether or not the group will be able to work together.

• As a team leader, it is your job to make sure everyone feels seen and heard.
• All groups must go through the initial four stages in order to become productive and deliver results.
• 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.
• If the team is focused on their planned tasks, these changes should occur smoothly.
• They may be motivated but are usually relatively uninformed of the issues and objectives of the team.
• Your team needs to communicate clearly and, rely on one another rather than turn on each other.
• Generally, when organizations form teams, these organizations have specific projects or goals in mind.

In addition to focusing on the scope of the team’s purpose and how to approach it, individuals in the formation stage are also gathering information and impressions about each other. Since people generally want to be accepted by others, during this period they usually avoid conflict and disagreement. Team members may begin to work on their tasks independently, not yet focused on their relationships with fellow team members.

Mourning or Adjourning

Find tools that don’t require hours of training and automate basic functions to get the job done. Before committing to a tool, give your team some time to work with it and test it out to make sure it fits their needs. Lots of tools offer free trials, so use that time to experiment and check its compatibility with other products you use. By starting with a free trial, you have the freedom to learn as much as possible about the product before committing to it.

At the same time, you are excited – because it’s always exciting to do something new. Make sure team members have access to the team’s final product and any other documentation or materials they need. Instead of micromanaging them, trust them to get the job done. The team is uncertain about their role in the team and what is expected of them.

The project as a whole is being wrapped up and final tasks and documentation are completed. As the workload becomes smaller, it’s common for team members to be taken off the assignment and delegated to a new project. The team members also usually debrief and discuss what went well and what could be improved on for projects in the future.

As people begin to feel safer, they will push the boundaries set up by the team in the forming stage—and conflicts may begin to erupt. The phases are not to be perceived as sequential, because groups are messy, and cycle through the phases throughout their process. Each stage of four stages of team development team development doesn’t necessarily take just as much time as the one that comes after it, nor the one before it. In the performing stage, you’ll notice fluidity with communication and overall conversations. This is demonstrated through high morale, productivity and engagement.

At the Adjourning Stage:

Write down every idea that is offered, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. Some of the greatest entrepreneurs and inventors have had failed companies and ill-conceived ideas. When conflicts are resolved, it can improve existing processes and bond members together. If everyone in your group thinks and acts the same, then why do you have a group? The benefit of working in a team is that you have access to diverse experiences, skills, and opinions that aren’t possible alone.

Supervisors of the team during this phase are almost always participating. Even the most high-performing teams will revert to earlier stages in certain circumstances. Many long-standing teams go through these cycles many times as they react to changing circumstances. For example, a change in leadership may cause the team to revert to storming as the new people challenge the existing norms and dynamics of the team.

Norming Stage

The team meets and learns about the opportunities and challenges, and then agrees on goals and begins to tackle the tasks. They may be motivated but are usually relatively uninformed of the issues and objectives of the team. Team members are usually on their best behavior but very focused on themselves. Mature team members begin to model appropriate behavior even at this early phase. The meeting environment also plays an important role to model the initial behavior of each individual.

Your team members might be snippy at each other, but at least they won’t have the added frustration of dealing with multiple platforms. By guiding your team through the stages of group development, you also reduce bottlenecks and other hold-ups that might be caused by poor group dynamics. Simplilearn is a cutting-edge workplace training service that provides just that. At Simplilearn, our PMP Certification Training Coursein emerging technologies is transforming our economy with valuable skills that last. Our blended learning approach drives learner engagement and the industry’s highest completion rates. Discuss the project goals and timeline, both for the team as a whole and for each member.

Roles on the team may have become more fluid, with members taking on various roles and responsibilities as needed. Differences among members are appreciated and used to enhance the team’s performance. During the Norming stage, members shift their energy to the team’s goals and show an increase in productivity, in both individual and collective work. The team may find that this is an appropriate time for an evaluation of team processes and productivity. The most commonly used framework for a team’s stages of development was developed in the mid-1960s by Bruce W. Tuckman.

Why is Team Development Important?

Team members will be tired of conflicting ideas and work harder to solve problems and reach the best state possible for the group to achieve. Navigating through the five stages of group development isn’t a walk in the park. During the initial stages, in particular, there’ll be lots of conflicts, disagreements, and a clash of personalities.

The “PERFORMING” Stage of Group Development

They may be feeling some anxiety because of uncertainty about their individual role or future responsibilities. They may feel sadness or a sense of loss about the changes coming to their team relationships. And at the same time, team members may feel a sense of deep satisfaction at the accomplishments of the team. Individual members might feel all of these things at the same time, or may cycle through feelings of loss followed by feelings of satisfaction. Given these conflicting feelings, individual and team morale may rise or fall throughout the ending stage. It is highly likely that at any given moment individuals on the team will be experiencing different emotions about the team’s ending.

A group might be happily Norming or Performing, but a new member might force them back into Storming, or a team member may miss meetings causing the team to fall back into Storming. Project guides will be ready for this, and will help the team get back to Performing as quickly as possible. This stage can be the most satisfying and fulfilling stage in the lifecycle of a team.

Who invented Tuckman’s Team & Group Development Model?

Fortunately there are steps you can take to keep the situation calm and controlled. Tuckman’s model has been used for over 50 years, which is the best proof that it does work. When people are honest, they won’t be scared to rely on each other or ask for help.

The team won’t simply break apart, however, and there can be a great deal of grief shared among team members who are apprehensive about severing the bond they’ve created. While there are no stages left, it’s important to ensure that your project ends on a high note. This may be the time for more oversight, similar to the forming stage, to encourage the tying up of loose ends.