Introduction
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. External characteristics are what we see
and interact with, but internal characteristics are what make it work. In teams, the
internal characteristics are the people in the team and how they interact with each
other.
For teams to be effective, the people in the team must be able to work together to
contribute collectively to team outcomes. But this does not happen automatically: it
develops as the team works together. You have probably had an experience when
you have been put on a team to work on a school assignment or project. When your
team first gets together, you likely sit around and look at each other, not knowing
how to begin. Initially you are not a team; you are just individuals assigned to work
together. Over time you get to know each other, to know what to expect from each
other, to know how to divide the labor and assign tasks, and to know how you will
coordinate your work. Through this process, you begin to operate as a team instead
of a collection of individuals.
Stages of Team Development
This process of learning to work together effectively is known as team development.
Research has shown that teams go through definitive stages during development.
Bruce Tuckman, an educational psychologist, identified a five-stage development
process that most teams follow to become high performing. He called the stages:
forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Team progress through the
stages is shown in the following diagram.
Most high-performing teams go through five stages of team development.
Forming stage
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. Team members are asking such questions as “What does the team
offer me?” “What is expected of me?” “Will I fit in?” Most interactions are social as
members get to know each other.
Storming stage
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. Members may disagree on team goals, and subgroups and
cliques may form around strong personalities or areas of agreement. 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. Teams
can get bogged down in this stage. Failure to address conflicts may result in long-
term problems.
Norming stage
If teams get through the storming stage, conflict is resolved and some degree of
unity emerges. In the norming stage, consensus develops around who the leader or
leaders are, and individual member’s roles. Interpersonal differences begin to be
resolved, and a sense of cohesion and unity emerges. Team performance increases
during this stage as members learn to cooperate and begin to focus on team goals.
However, the harmony is precarious, and if disagreements re-emerge the team can
slide back into storming.
Performing stage
In the performing stage, consensus and cooperation have been well-established and
the team is mature, organized, and well-functioning. There is a clear and stable
structure, and members are committed to the team’s mission. Problems and conflicts
still emerge, but they are dealt with constructively. (We will discuss the role of conflict
and conflict resolution in the next section). The team is focused on problem solving
and meeting team goals.
Adjourning stage
In the adjourning stage, most of the team’s goals have been accomplished. The
emphasis is on wrapping up final tasks and documenting the effort and results. As
the work load is diminished, individual members may be reassigned to other teams,
and the team disbands. There may be regret as the team ends, so a ceremonial
acknowledgement of the work and success of the team can be helpful. If the team is
a standing committee with ongoing responsibility, members may be replaced by new
people and the team can go back to a forming or storming stage and repeat the
development process.