Back in the mid-1960’s, Bruce Tuckman brought forth the idea that all groups go through specific developmental stages in his article entitled, “Developmental sequence in small groups” in the Psychological Bulletin.  In 1977 Dr. Tuckman expanded his model adding a fifth stage to the original four. The model’s five stages are as follows:

Forming

Stage Setting where Leaders coordinate

In the beginning, the team meets and learns about the opportunities and challenges they may face.  They then agree upon goals, and create a plan of attack with associated tasks to meet those goals. At this stage the group members may behave fairly independently, especially so if they have not been together as a group before.  Most of the group discussion focuses on tasks, scoping and coordinating activities.

Storming

Conflict Resolution when Leaders coach

During the next stage of development, the group starts organize around tasks and builds trust. In the beginning there may be a free flow of ideas and opinions, but conflict often arises when power and organizational status emerge.  In addition, mismatches may exist in excitement and positive attitude, and others may exhibit anxiety and mistrust. In Tuckman’s 1965 paper, only 50% of the studies identified a stage of intragroup conflict. However, it is common that group members may not be fully aware of their own feelings and how that impacts the group as a whole.

Norming

Implementing as Leaders facilitate

In this stage, the team members align with their stated goals, while personal ambition dries the team work together to successfully achieve these goals. Rob Chatfield noted that, “Resolved disagreements and personality clashes result in greater intimacy, and a spirit of cooperation emerges.”  It should be noted that conflict avoidance can manifest itself as mistrust, and result in reluctance to share controversial ideas.

Performing

Succeeding where Leaders empower

As this stage unfolds, the team members knowledgeable, motivated, and able to perform without close supervision.  They often become adept at their own conflict resolution. Rob Chatfield also noted, “with group norms and roles established, group members focus on achieving common goals, often reaching an unexpectedly high level of success.”  It is not unusual for the team to make its own decisions on the mission at this point rather than relying on outside directives.

Adjourning

Winding Down with Leaders celebrate and support

In modern business organizations, such as agile software development, it is very common to break up the team once the team goals are reached, so that individual member talents can be deployed elsewhere in the organization.  At this stage, good leadership directs the group to celebrate their success, and prepares them for the emotional letdown that can occur when the team is disbanded.