The 5 Stages of Team Development: Build Winning Teams in 2023

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• The Storming stage is characterized by conflicts, power struggles, and a lack of clarity, which can significantly impact productivity and team dynamics.
• Many teams often fail at this stage so it is important to reduce and address this conflict so that problems do not occur later on.
• As a result of this stage team norms and values are established, and members are more committed to the team’s success.
• In the forming stage, task accomplishment is secondary to establishing goals.
• This is a concept that psychologist Bruce Tuckman came up with to properly understand the progress of various teams and the development of key contributors.
• Self-assessment is an important part of the team development process and using a structured framework can help ensure a productive conversation that doesn’t overspill or create further conflict.

It is marked by clear structure, unified goals, and, most importantly, steady results. There is no saying how long it will take for each team to get here, but you can certainly help your team move through the stages with previous advice. Once the team members get to know each other, they move on to the second stage.

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15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change. One of the stumbling blocks many individuals and groups face when making change is knowing how to start while also being intimidated by the potential largeness of the task. One of the key ways to influence proactive change in a group is to empower your team to make small but meaningful changes incrementally and experiment to find what works. With this method, you can invite your group to identify small changes they can make now and work towards better working practices as both individuals and a team. In this method, invite participants to write a few words of what they most value about their colleagues on a piece of paper before passing it along to the next person.

The team may need to develop both task-related skills and group process and conflict management skills. A redefinition of the team’s goals, roles and tasks can help team members past the frustration or confusion they experience during the Storming stage. With the team development stages above, as well as corresponding leadership styles, it is the moment when we need to explore why care and follow the team formation phases at all.

Signs and questions to look out for in the storming stage

This way team members can meet from anywhere and share their screen so that everyone can see the project details simultaneously. Record and store the meeting in Teamwork.com so that team members can revisit it at any time if they need a reminder of the discussion. Sounds great in theory, but putting it into practice can feel daunting.

A simple but effective closing activity that could lead to identify the learning point or outcomes for participants and measure the change in their behavior, mindset or opinion regarding the subject. This is a structured process designed for teams to explore the way they work together. The tight structure supports team members to be open and honest in their assessment. After reflecting as individuals, the team builds a collective map which can serve as the basis for further discussions and actions. Each one encouraging the team to reflect and analyse a different and crucial element of their behaviour. For some groups, the idea of getting to know you activities elicits a collective groan.

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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. Members may disagree on team goals, and subgroups and cliques may form around strong personalities or areas of agreement.

Tolerance of each team member and their differences should be emphasized; without tolerance and patience the team will fail. This phase can become destructive to the team and will lower motivation if allowed to get out of control. Some teams will never develop past this stage; however, disagreements within the team can make members stronger, more versatile, and able to work more effectively together. Supervisors during this phase may be more accessible, but tend to remain directive in their guidance of decision-making and professional behaviour. The team members will therefore resolve their differences and members will be able to participate with one another more comfortably. The ideal is that they will not feel that they are being judged, and will therefore share their opinions and views.

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Teams usually develop norms that guide the activities of team members. Team norms set a standard for behavior, attitude, and performance that all team members are expected to follow. Norms are effective because team members want to support the team and preserve relationships in the team, and when norms are violated, there is peer pressure or sanctions to enforce compliance. The forming stage involves a period of orientation and getting acquainted. Uncertainty is high during this stage, and people are looking for leadership and authority. A member who asserts authority or is knowledgeable may be looked to take control.

To get through this stage, members must work to overcome obstacles, to accept individual differences, and to work through conflicting ideas on team tasks and goals. A key task is establishing the team’s structure, directions, and expectations. This helps ease any anxiety and provides clear direction for team members.

Why is Team Development Important?

9 Dimensions is a powerful activity designed to build relationships and trust among team members. Any insights should be shared in a public forum so everyone in the company can learn. For more advice, check out these lists of team building books and team building tips. Managers and project leads need to keep their eyes open, but be mostly hands-off so the team can build muscle around working independently. The team needs clarity and connection more than anything else at this stage. Take the time to call out assumptions about the work and (more importantly) how you’ll work together.

If your team has ever thrashed about like this, then you know what “storming” is. 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. This is a concept that psychologist Bruce Tuckman came up with to properly understand the progress of various teams and the development of key contributors. Our discussion so far has focused mostly on a team as an entity, not on the individuals inside the team. This is like describing a car by its model and color without considering what is under the hood.

Forming stage

To properly and clearly identify these in group form, we use the 4 stages of team development. 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. Members began to communicate with each other more smoothly, consulting with each other and asking for help when needed.