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 group development process is important because the system allows leaders to identify the correct stage of development and accurately assess the level of teamwork.
- Forming stage discussion topics often include the project goal, team member roles, basic ground rules, and designation of authority.
- A team leader is established, and the various members learn their roles and responsibilities.
- However, the harmony is precarious, and if disagreements re-emerge the team can slide back into storming.
- These tools can facilitate ongoing feedback and performance discussions and help team members align their performance with team goals and expectations.
- Some team roles and responsibilities will be clear based on the project and the employee’s title.
During the Forming stage of team development, team members are usually excited to be part of the team and eager about the work ahead. Members often have high positive expectations for the team experience. At the same time, they may also feel some anxiety, wondering how they will fit in to the team and if their performance will measure up.
Why are 5 Stages of Team Development Essential?
Team members adjust to teammate behaviors and devise strategies to overcome differences. Moving beyond initial hurdles, teammates acknowledge the common goal and focus on making significant progress. Initially, they might not understand each other’s expectations and roles. Even so, they’ll still need to collaborate and divide roles and responsibilities to ensure the project gets completed on time. Team development is the structured process of bringing together a group of diverse individuals and teaching them to appreciate their differences as they work towards a shared goal. Whether team members are transitioning out of their roles or into a different project, leaders can use the adjourning stage to gather feedback.
The five stages of team development have remained consistent over the years. Bruce Tuckman, a professor of educational psychology at Ohio State who researched the psychology of group dynamics, developed his stages of team development theory in the 1960s. However, Tuckman’s seems to be more coherent and comprehensive, as it describes the process of team formation as a whole, while other theories focus on its specific aspects.
The advantages of the Tuckman Model
Team members should continue to deepen their knowledge and skills, including working to continuously improving team development. Accomplishments in team process or progress are measured and celebrated. As the team begins to move towards its goals, members discover that the team can’t live up to all of their early excitement and expectations. Their focus may shift from the tasks at hand to feelings of frustration or anger with the team’s progress or process.
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. 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.
Performance management tools:
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Team Tasks during the Storming stage of development call for the team to refocus on its goals, perhaps breaking larger goals down into smaller, achievable steps. 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. During the Storming stage, team members may argue or become critical of the team’s original mission or goals. The norming stage of team development is like a months-old couple that accepts each other’s quirks and flaws.
At this stage, members often begin to question the wisdom of the project at hand or even the purpose of the team itself. It can be tempting to avoid conflict, but doing so doesn’t help team building. A team that works together to resolve issues will trust each other more. They can rely on each other to do the hard work they were hired to do, despite any differences that arise. The fifth stage of group development, also known as the mourning stage, is the final stage a team will go through. After a project is over or if a team is disbanded, team members who worked together will go into a small mourning period.
Group members may have a hard time working with other groups as they had strong group dynamics with their previous team. This is the stage when things begin to settle down as your team finds their groove. As they grow more comfortable working together, team members are more comfortable asking for help completing a task or getting constructive feedback. Your team starts to increase their productivity at this stage as they become more familiar with their teammates and their working styles. For your team to work collaboratively with few interruptions, they need tools that operate intuitively and will save them time. Find tools that don’t require hours of training and automate basic functions to get the job done.