Leading the Stages of Team Development

Leading the Stages of Team Development

A guide for new team development, new unit development, and new staff development.

As a group of individuals become a team, the group moves through a predictable set of dynamics or developmental stages. Teams become successful and effective when they move through these stages step by step. Psychologist Bruce Tuckman came up with the phrase "forming, storming, norming, and performing" in his 1965 paper, "Developmental Sequence in Small Groups." Bruce Tuckman has postulated five progressive stages of development:

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•  Forming

•  Storming

•  Norming

•  Performing

•  Adjourning

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Research in the field shows the inevitability of each stage, and their predictability allows the leader, manager, and team members to recognize the pitfalls of each stage and handle them in a way that will be most beneficial to the task, project, and the entire team. Being cognizant of this stage model can take some of the mystery out of certain group dynamics.

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Stage 1: Team Formation (Forming)

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Team formation (forming) is the first stage in team development. This stage marks the actual accumulation of the team members into a group assigned to a specific project or task. Because the team has just been formed, goals, structure, and leadership may not be firmly established. In this case, many team members will feel uncertain or confused about these aspects of the team. In and of itself, this should not be worrisome because confusion and uncertainty are normal reactions for people faced with any new situation.

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To sift through any confusion or uncertainty that they feel about the team, team members will attempt to identify and define their roles and responsibilities. In other words, team members will look for structure. When team members are new to each other, they may find that their interactions are strained. They will need time to figure out how to behave and interact, which is often learned through trial and error. When something works, the individual will continue the behavior; when it does not work, the individual may drop the behavior and try something different.

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Leadership interventions at this stage include the following:

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•  Adding structure: During the forming stage, It Is important to hold structured meetings that focus discussions, clarify tasks, and define roles.

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•  Encouraging learning: Members need to ask each other questions to find out about expertise within the group and how each individual works. 

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•  Balancing participation: The team leader should set the pace for balancing participation by encouraging everyone to participate and by discouraging dominant or self-serving behavior.

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These foundation elements rarely evolve naturally. Be conscious of what is working so that you can encourage those behaviors and be equally conscious of what is not working so that those behaviors can be redirected.

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Stage 2: Team Conflict (Storming)

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The second stage of team development is sometimes referred to as the conflict of storming stage. Conflict is associated with this stage because team members struggle to establish their views of team goals, roles, and responsibilities while attempting to integrate individual goals and personal preferences. When team members differ about these matters, they are likely to clash and confront each other to establish their individual views and preferences as the team's views and preferences. Sometimes teams may break into subgroups that oppose each other in an effort to establish control. These conflicts often carry over into setting up team assignments and individual responsibilities as team members compete with each other to obtain desired assignments, to influence their project's outcome, or gain recognition from superiors.

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As team members become more involved in team formation and establishment, they begin to assess what they think of other members. They also begin to formalize opinions about the project in general and how committed they are to it. During this stage, team members continue to refine their patterns of interaction. Based on the outcomes of the forming stage, they now can work within a more defined behavior structure. However, if they become frustrated with their options for group interaction, some team members may withdraw from active participation. In extreme cases frustrated team members may engage in saboteur activity. 

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Leadership interventions at this stage include the following:

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•  Facilitating dialogue: Encourage members to state constructively their ideas and feelings so that they can begin to understand each other's views and effectively resolve their conflicts.

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•  Facilitating decision making: Guide the group in decision making and problem solving according to team norms.

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•  Providing support: Your team is vulnerable at this point as it works through emotions and differing points of view. (this step is where long lasting grudges and negative opinions can take seed)

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•  Refocusing team members on project goals: Team members may lose sight of why they are there. Your job is to remind them of their purpose and clarify roles and responsibilities.

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Stage 3: Team Settlement (Norming)

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After defining roles and responsibilities in the forming stage and working out conflicts in the storming stage, the team begins to fully define itself and the project in the norming stage. In this stage, team members put conflicts behind them and begin to settle into their roles and responsibilities. They work together to achieve task assignments and project goals. They cooperate and collaborate with each other to get things done.

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Now that team members have established a common mission; they begin to view themselves as part of a group and have a sense of team identity. They appreciate other team members' knowledge and skills and begin to feel committed to the project. The team members feel more comfortable with each other and are more willing to voice their views, exchange information, and work together toward a common mission. They now work as a group to mutually agree on all aspects of the project.

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Leadership interventions at this stage include the following:

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• Delegating responsibility: Make a conscious effort to let go and encourage team members to run meetings and make decisions on their own.

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•  Encouraging ideas: This is the time to encourage the expression of issues and concerns. It may provide the fresh perspective needed to keep the team out of the group-think mode.

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•  Challenging the team: The team may need more challenging assignments to continuously improve skills.

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•  Providing recognition: Recognize achievement and celebrate milestones.

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•  Providing training: As team members settle into roles and responsibilities, be sure to provide them with the resources necessary to achieve project goals.

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•  Asking for help: When the team is having difficulties, the best solution will be one that it develops on its own (with or without your facilitation).

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Stage 4: Team Performance (Performing)

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During performing, the fourth stage of team development, the team performs consistently on autopilot. The team can perform in this manner because it has finalized its structure, goals, and responsibilities and now works within established parameters. Team members focus primarily on accomplishing project tasks and goals and working effectively and consistently to achieve them. Depending on the nature of the project and the team, members may continue to learn and develop; otherwise, they continue their work within an established routine.

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Leadership interventions at this stage include the following:

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•  Suggesting new goal: As the team approaches the completion of the original task with

self-confidence, members must start thinking about what lies ahead. They may require some gentle guidance to help them decide about future goals and opportunities.

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• Testing assumptions: Team members in the performing stage typically become so comfortable working together that they risk becoming complacent about their ability to function well as a team. It is a good time to question their assumptions about group norms or ground rules and challenge them to determine if new or additional ones might be needed.

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•  Self-assessment: To become self-sufficient, a team must have a specific mechanism for ongoing self-assessment. The leader should suggest procedures, timing, and format for members to self-evaluate both individual performance as team members and how they function together as a team.

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Stage 5: Team Adjourning (Termination/Completion)

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During the adjourning, the last stage of team development, project tasks have been completed, members turn their attention to project closeout, and the team begins to disband. When the project/task/goal was successful, team members usually feel positive about their teamwork and their project accomplishments. Yet at the same time, if the team formed well, the members may feel reluctant to separate from the group and may have a sense of loss or regret that they will no longer be a team when the project/goal is completed.

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Leadership interventions at this stage include the following:

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•  Identifying opportunities: Leaders need to support their team members in transition by using their organizational network and bureaucratic power to support, coach, and facilitate the change of staff into their next position.

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•  Creating rewards: Since the majority of the interesting work has already been accomplished, the team leader needs to identify means to keep the team participating through the project's conclusion, by incentives or other means.

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•  Lessons learned: Take the time to review what worked and what team members say they would do differently. Include lessons learned in the project documentation.

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•  Celebrating and Recognition: Find ways to recognize the team's accomplishments. (all it takes is the leader's time to make team members feel appreciated and energetic for the future assignments) 

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Photo by Art Guzman: https://www.pexels.com/photo/soldiers-standing-on-a-field-10854148/

Photo by Art Guzman: https://www.pexels.com/photo/us-army-men-in-vigorous-drill-exercise-13742002/