Four Stages of Team Development

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[[Category:Human Behaviour]]
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''Developed by Bárbara Garelly''
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Self-managed work teams need considerable time to perform up to its true capabilities. What a group is capable of achieving depends in part on its stage of development. The team's effectiveness can be improved if its members are committed to reflection and on-going evaluation. However, the most important aspect is that every team member understands their development as a team.
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Although every group’s development over time is unique, researchers have identified some stages of group development that many groups seem to pass through. The most famous model is the '''Four Stages of Team Development''', developed by the psychology professor Bruce Tuckman in 1965. Tuckman suggested that all teams go through a relatively unproductive initial stage before becoming a self-reliant unit.
 
  
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Although there have been other written variations from many authors, Tuckman’s stages of development – '''Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing''' – are a helpful technique to recognize the team’s behaviour and feelings during the process. Identifying and understanding why changes occur is a key component of the self-evaluation process. This can help the team maximize its process and its productivity.
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Self-managed project teams need considerable time to show up its real aptitudes. What a group is capable of achieving depends in part on its stage of development. The team’s effectiveness can be improved if its members are committed to evaluate their work and receive feedback. However, the most important aspect is that every team member understands their development as a team.
  
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== Introduction to the Model ==
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Although every group’s development over time is unique, researchers have identified some stages of team development that many groups seem to pass through. The most famous model is the '''Four Stages of Team Development''', developed by the psychology professor Bruce Tuckman in 1965 <ref>[http://hrweb.mit.edu/learning-development/learning-topics/teams/articles/stages-development''Using the Stages of Team Development''], Judith Stein, HR web at MIT</ref>. Tuckman proposed that all teams start somehow unproductive when they are first formed, and then they grow into a self-sufficient unit.
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Dr Bruce Tuckman published his '''Forming Storming Norming Performing''' model in 1965, in his article ''Developmental Sequence in Small Groups''. He used it to describe the path that most teams follow on their way to high performance.
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The '''Forming Storming Norming Performing''' theory is an elegant and helpful explanation of team development and behaviour. Tuckman's model explains that as the team develops maturity and ability, relationships establish, and the leader changes leadership style.
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Although there have been other written variations from many authors, Tuckman’s stages of development – '''Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing''' – are a helpful technique to recognise the team’s behaviour and feelings during the process. Identifying and understanding why changes occur is a key component of the self-evaluation process. This can help the team reach the state of high-performance.
  
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Tuckman’s theory states that all four stages are necessary and inevitable in order to the team growing, facing up the challenges, tackling problems, finding solutions, planning work and delivering results. This model has become the basis for subsequent models.
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== Tuckman's Model ==
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Dr. Bruce Tuckman developed the '''Forming Storming Norming Performing''' model, which describes the way most teams approach high performance. In 1965, he published this theory in his article ''Developmental Sequence in Small Groups''<ref>[http://openvce.net/sites/default/files/Tuckman1965DevelopmentalSequence.pdf ''Developmental Sequence in Small Groups''], Bruce W. Tuckman, 1965</ref>.
  
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Every team changes and develops over time as it stays together. Tuckman described three issues that determine the effectiveness of the team:
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Tuckman’s theory provides an explanation to the development and behaviour of a team, how new relationships are created as it generates maturity and capability, and how the leader modifies his way to lead.
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*'''Content:''' relates to what the team does
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*'''Process:''' relates to how the team works towards its objectives
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*'''Feelings:''' applies to how team members relate to one another
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Tuckman’s research suggests that most teams concentrate almost exclusively on content, to the detriment of process and feelings, which explains why teams which are strong on paper can under-perform.
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As time goes by, teams experience different changes. Because of this, Tuckman demonstrated that there are three key points that determine the team’s effectiveness. These are content, which relates to the work the team does, process, that focuses on how the team deals with its objectives, and feelings, which is oriented to relationships between team members. Tuckman’s analysis advises that most groups centralise only on the content part. He exposed that even really solid teams can have low efficiency because of ignorance to the process and feelings parts.
  
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Tuckman suggested that the life cycle of a team involves four stages. At each stage, the dynamics of the team change dramatically from periods of inefficiency and uneasiness through to a period of high performance. The ‘team growth model’ also suggests that unless the issues of processes and feelings have been satisfactorily addressed, it is unlikely that the team will reach the most productive final stage.
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Tuckman proposed that there are four stages which describe the team’s life-cycle. The group dynamics change from low efficient and troubled to highly productive where the hard work leads to good resolution of the problems that arise. Tuckman’s theory states that these four stages are needed and crucial for a constantly growing group to confront new threats, deal with the upcoming issues, search for solutions, organise the work and bring up results. The stages are briefly explained in the next table.
  
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[[File:Table - Four Stages of Team Development.png|100px]]
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[[File:Table - Four Stages of Team Development.png|650px|thumb|center|'''Four Stages of Team Development''' <ref>[http://www.lfhe.ac.uk/download.cfm/docid/3C6230CF-61E8-4C5E-9A0C1C81DCDEDCA2 ''Bruce Tuckman’s Team Development Model''], Rebecca Nestor for ''Aurora'', 2013; [http://www.lfhe.ac.uk/ Leadership Foundation for Higher Education]</ref>]]
  
 
=== Forming ===
 
=== Forming ===
 
''Stage 1: Immature group''
 
''Stage 1: Immature group''
  
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In the first stage, '''Forming''', members try to get to know one another and reach common understanding of what the group is trying to accomplish and how group members should behave. This is also a good opportunity to see how each member of the team works as an individual and how they respond to pressure. The individual's behaviour is driven by a desire to be accepted by the others, and avoid controversy or conflict.
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In the first stage, '''Forming''', members try to get to know each other and search for agreement about what the group is seeking for and how should each one behave. This is also a situation in which it can be observed how each member works individually under pressure. In general, people’s behaviour is motivated by the desire of being accepted by the rest members of the group, without generating conflicts and trying that everything works as planned.
  
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*'''Feelings'''<br />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 into the team and if their performance will measure up.
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*'''Feelings'''<br />During the Forming stage, team members are enthusiastic about becoming part of the group and anxious towards the future work. It is also important to have in mind that they may be concerned about how well they will integrate the group and if their knowledge will be useful for the team.
  
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*'''Process'''<br />Behaviours observed during the Forming stage may include lots of questions from team members, reflecting both their excitement about the new team and the uncertainty or anxiety they might be feeling about their place on the team.
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*'''Process'''<br />Many behaviours can be observed during this stage. These mostly include members questions related to the teams interests and the uncertainty about which position they have inside the team. Members are highly motivated and behave adequately, but tend to work quite independently. They are more focused on themselves and usually this leads to ignorance of the problems and objectives of the team. For this reason, supervisors should manage the team during this stage.
  
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*'''Content'''<br />The principal work for the team during the Forming stage is to create a team with clear structure, goals, direction and roles so that members begin to build trust. A good orientation/kick-off process can help to ground the members in terms of the team's mission and goals, and can establish team expectations about both the team's product and, more importantly, the team's process. During the Forming stage, much of the team's energy is focused on defining the team so task accomplishment may be relatively low.
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*'''Content'''<br />The team focuses on defining their structure, the way they will work and the goals they will seek. This is extremely important in order to orient the members during the development process.
  
 
In this stage, some serious issues are avoided because the members only focus on aspects related to the team organization such as work distribution or group meetings. Also each member starts gathering the information necessary about the group task. Although it is really easy to stay in this state, avoiding the conflicts does not lead to “get the job done”.
 
In this stage, some serious issues are avoided because the members only focus on aspects related to the team organization such as work distribution or group meetings. Also each member starts gathering the information necessary about the group task. Although it is really easy to stay in this state, avoiding the conflicts does not lead to “get the job done”.
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Anyway, it is an important phase for the team’s development because the team starts to agree on the objectives and to undertake the jobs.
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Anyway, it is an important phase for the team’s development. The team starts to agree on the goals and to undertake the jobs. Members are highly motivated and behave adequately, but tend to work quite independently. They are more focused on themselves and usually this leads to ignorance of the problems and objectives of the team. For this reason, supervisors should manage the team during this stage.
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The principal characteristics of the Forming stage are:
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*Confusion: they haven't fully understood what work the team will do
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*Uncertainty
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*Assessing situation
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*Testing ground rules: people start to work together
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*Feeling out others: they make an effort to get to know their new colleagues
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*Defining goals
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*Getting acquainted
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*Establishing rules
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=== Storming ===
 
=== Storming ===
 
''Stage 2: Fractional group''
 
''Stage 2: Fractional group''
  
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In the second stage, '''Storming''', group members experience conflict and disagreements because some members do not wish to submit to the demands of other group members. Disputes may arise over who should lead the group. Self-managed work teams can be particularly vulnerable during the storming stage.
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In the second stage, '''Storming''', it is observed that team members start to disagree about different aspects because they do not wish to proceed as the others want them to. These conflicts between members will derive on the rising of the most appropriate team leader although at first it might not be accepted by all members. During this stage, groups use to be especially susceptible.
  
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*'''Feelings'''<br />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. Members may express concerns about being unable to meet the team's goals. During the Storming stage, members are trying to see how the team will respond to differences and how it will handle conflict.
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*'''Feelings'''<br />As the team's project progresses to reaching the goals, members realise that their expectations were too optimistic. This may bring feelings of frustration towards the methods used until that moment. During this stage, members open up to each other and share their opinions, but feel that the rest judge them. This may lead to competence to consider different ideas. Team members will try to deal with conflicts in the best way they can and will observe how each one of them reacts to the opinions of the rest.
  
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*'''Process'''<br />Behaviours during the Storming stage may be less polite than during the Forming stage, with frustration or disagreements about goals, expectations, roles and responsibilities being openly expressed. Members may express frustration about constraints that slow their individual or the team's progress. This frustration might be directed towards other members of the team, the team leadership or the team's sponsor. During the Storming stage, team members may argue or become critical of the team's original mission or goals.
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*'''Process'''<br />Throughout this stage, it is possible to observe that people’s attitudes will be poor comparing to the first stage. This is due to disagreements about objectives, project expectations or responsibilities of each member. Members may express their displeasure regarding the team’s limitations and other member’s way to work, as well as the team’s aim and organizing model. Some members will fix their attention to trivial issues to avoid fronting the real problems.
  
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*'''Content'''<br />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.
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*'''Content'''<br />The team tasks during this stage are to be reconsidered. They should focus on the problems that are most important to find solution for. A good procedure should be divide big goals into smaller ones in order to achieve them step by step. Some other tasks, such as member skills or organizational conflicts, should be developed. In addition, the confusion experienced can be eradicated if the objectives, tasks and roles are well defined.
  
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During this stage, members open up to each other and different ideas compete for consideration. It can be contentious, unpleasant and even painful to members of the team who are averse to conflict. Tolerance of each team member and their differences should be emphasized. Without tolerance and patience, the team will fail. In some cases, storming can be resolved quickly. In others, the team never leaves this stage.
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Some teams find it extremely difficult to leave this stage because members do not try their best to solve their discrepancies. A negative aspect is that the initial motivation is lowered and the conflictive situation can be destructive for the team. The group should reach a minimum level of maturity to be able to move on to the next stage. As well, they should establish a leadership model and accept it. This way, every team member will feel comfortable to participate in its development.
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The team defines the problems that are most important to find solution for. They have to address the functions of members independently and together. The maturity of some team members usually determines whether the team will ever move out of this stage. Some team members will focus on trivial details to evade real issues.
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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. The team members will therefore have to resolve their differences. This way, they 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. In addition, the team has to determine what leadership model they will accept.
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Characteristics of the Storming stage are:
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*Disagreement over priorities: members question the worth of the team's goal and they may resist taking on tasks
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*Struggle for leadership: team members may jockey for position as their roles are clarified
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*Tension: members who stick with the task at hand may experience stress
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*Hostility: conflict between team members' natural working styles
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*Clique formation
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=== Norming ===
 
=== Norming ===
 
''Stage 3: Sharing group''
 
''Stage 3: Sharing group''
  
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During the third stage, '''Norming''', close ties between group members develop, and feelings of friendship and camaraderie emerge. Group members arrive at a consensus about what goals they should seek to achieve and how group members should behave toward one another.
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During the third stage, '''Norming''', members become closer as they feel their friendship starts to grow. Group members come to a common understanding on which are the goals to achieve and how they should behave towards the rest of the group.
  
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*'''Feelings'''<br />During the Norming stage of team development, team members begin to resolve the discrepancy they felt between their individual expectations and the reality of the team's experience. If the team is successful in setting more flexible and inclusive norms and expectations, members should experience an increased sense of comfort in expressing their "real" ideas and feelings. Team members feel an increasing acceptance of others on the team, recognizing that the variety of opinions and experiences makes the team stronger and its product richer. Constructive criticism is both possible and welcomed. Members start to feel part of a team and can take pleasure from the increased group cohesion.
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*'''Feelings'''<br />Members begin to solve their differences and set more flexible rules. Because of this, members will begin to feel more confident and will be able to express their own ideas more openly. Moreover, they will realize that it is important to have different opinions in order to obtain richer results. As everyone experiences acceptance of other group members, members start to feel welcomed in the team. The constructive criticism helps to develop a more cohesive group.
  
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*'''Process'''<br />Behaviors during the Norming stage may include members making a conscious effort to resolve problems and achieve group harmony. There might be more frequent and more meaningful communication among team members, and an increased willingness to share ideas or ask teammates for help. Team members refocus on established team ground rules and practices and return their focus to the team's tasks. Teams may begin to develop their own language (nicknames) or inside jokes.
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*'''Process'''<br />Members work hard to create a peaceful group. This is possible if they realize that having more useful communication is essential. In this stage, members are ready to make suggestions or ask the rest to explain the aspect they have not understood. Some jokes and nicknames appear during the conversations, which helps in the development of the members relationships.
  
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*'''Content'''<br />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.
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*'''Content'''<br />The team becomes more productive in this stage because they start to concentrate on the goals. Members agree on the plan to follow to reach their objectives.
  
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The team manages to have one goal and come to a mutual plan for the team at this stage. Some may have to give up their own ideas and agree with others in order to make the team function. In this stage, all team members take the responsibility and have the ambition to work for the success of the team's goals.
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Although team members will have to desist on imposing their ideas in many occasions and agree with the rest, they are satisfied because this way the team will work correctly.
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The characteristics of this stage are:
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*Consensus: people develop a stronger commitment to the team goal
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*Leadership accepted: the leader’s authority is respected
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*Trust established: team members know one-another better, they may socialize together, and they are able to ask each other for help and provide constructive feedback
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*Standards set
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*New stable roles
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*Co-operation
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=== Performing ===
 
=== Performing ===
 
''Stage 4: Effective group''
 
''Stage 4: Effective group''
  
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In the fourth stage, '''Performing''', the real work of the group gets accomplished. Depending on the type of group in question, managers need to take different steps at this stage to help ensure that groups are effective. Managers overseeing self-managed work teams have to empower team members and make sure teams are given enough responsibility and autonomy at the performing stage.
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The fourth stage, '''Performing''', is when the real work is done. Depending on the kind of group we find, managers will have to make some decisions on this stage in order to ensure that the team is working effectively. Managers need to supervise the project and empower team members and assure that they have enough autonomy and responsibilities to make their own decisions.
  
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*'''Feelings'''<br />In the Performing stage of team development, members feel satisfaction in the team's progress. They share insights into personal and group process and are aware of their own (and each other's) strengths and weaknesses. Members feel attached to the team as something "greater than the sum of its parts" and feel satisfaction in the team's effectiveness. Members feel confident in their individual abilities and those of their teammates.
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*'''Feelings'''<br />Members during this stage feel satisfied with the team’s development. To this point, they are conscious of their own and the other’s strengths and weaknesses. They also have a common understanding about the methods used. Members feel linked to the team and perceive it as a unit “greater than the sum of its parts”. In general, they are really satisfied with the team’s effectiveness.
  
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*'''Process'''<br />Team members are able to prevent or solve problems in the team's process or in the team's progress. A "can do" attitude is visible as are offers to assist one another. Roles on the team may have become more fluid, with members taking on various roles and responsibilities as needed. Differences among members are appreciated and used to enhance the team's performance.
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*'''Process'''<br />Members have a cooperative behaviour. They are able to avoid or solve problems during the process. Each member has several responsibilities and tasks depending on the necessities and more differences between members can be observed. However, this is used to strengthen the team’s work.
  
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*'''Content'''<br />In the Performing stage, the team makes significant progress towards its goals. Commitment to the team's mission is high and the competence of team members is also high. 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.
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*'''Content'''<br />The team makes a notable improvement into the reaching of its goals. It is now when members are more devoted to seek the team’s objectives and when their real competences flourish. They should keep on working on the continuous development of the team. By expanding their knowledge and skills, the team can accomplish their targets.
  
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It is possible for some teams to reach the performing stage. These high-performing teams are able to function as a unit as they find ways to “get the job done” smoothly and effectively without inappropriate conflict or the need for external supervision. By this time, they are motivated and knowledgeable. The team members are now competent, autonomous and able to handle the decision-making process without supervision. Dissent is expected and allowed as long as it is channelled through acceptable means to the team.
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Some high-performing teams achieve this stage because they work as an effective and self-managed unit. Members are capable to make decisions without external supervision. Some disagreements can happen, but never lead to conflictive situations. What is more, they are used to help the team to reach the state of high-performance. 
  
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Supervisors of the team during this phase are almost always participative. The team will make most of the necessary decisions. However, even the most high-performing teams will revert to earlier stages in some circumstances. Many long-standing teams go through these cycles many times as they react to changing circumstances. For example, a change in leadership may cause the team to revert to storming as new people challenge the existing norms and dynamics of the team.
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== Further Research ==
  
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The principal characteristics are:
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When teams achieve the high-performance it may be a really enjoyable and rewarding experience. It is important that the team analyzes the product of their work. Many long-lasting teams suffer some changes that make them go back to previous stages, where they define new goals and react to the changes. This situation leads to high-effective teams that stay indefinitely in the Performing stage. However, this should not be the last stage of team development. It is necessary that teams focus also on the termination process in order to complete the project. For this reason, a fifth stage should be defined.
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*Successful performance: hard work leads, without friction, to the achievement of the team's goal
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*Flexible, task roles
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*Openness
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*Helpfulness
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*Delusion, disillusion and acceptance
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== Further Development ==
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After some years of research, Tuckman and Mary Ann Jensen published their findings in the journal ''Group & Organization Studies'', in 1977 <ref name="Stages of Small-Group Development Revisited">[http://www.freewebs.com/group-management/BruceTuckman%281%29.pdf''Stages of Small-Group Development Revisited''], Bruce W. Tuckman, Mary Ann C. Jensen</ref>. They developed a fifth stage and added it to the '''Forming Storming Norming Performing''' model. They called it '''Adjourning''' and described it as a period when team members can observe and evaluate the team’s accomplishments. Also it is characterized by the detachment of team members, which can be sometimes a difficult phase.
  
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While working on a high-performing team may be a truly pleasurable and growthful experience, it is not the end of team development. There is still a need for the team to focus on both process and product, setting new goals as appropriate. Changes, such as members coming or going or large-scale changes in the external environment, can lead a team to cycle back to an earlier stage. If these changes - and their resulting behaviours - are recognized and addressed directly, teams may successfully remain in the Performing stage indefinitely.
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=== Adjourning ===
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''Stage 5: Disbanding group''
  
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Some teams do come to an end, when their work is completed or when the organization needs change. While not part of Tuckman’s original model, it is important for any team to pay attention to the end or termination process.
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This fifth stage, '''Adjourning''', applies only to groups that are eventually dissolved. Usually this happens when a group completes a finished product. It is essential that group members understand the necessity of “unforming” the group to be able to fulfil the work and to move on. Some authors describe this stage as “Deforming and Mourning” <ref>[http://es.scribd.com/doc/216692139/Mc-Team-Development ''Four (Five) Stages of Team Development – Bruce Tuckman''], MC – Team Development</ref>.
  
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=== Adjourning ===
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[[File:Five Stages of Team Development.png|600px|thumb|right|'''Five Stages of Team Development''' <ref>''Essentials of Contemporary Management'' (Fifth Edition), Gareth R. Jones and Jennifer M. George</ref>]]
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''Stage 5: Disbanding group''
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*'''Feelings'''<br />Several feelings emerge because of the upcoming disbanding. Members may feel grief, because of the changes on their relationship with the rest of the group, and tension, because they do not know what they will have to accomplish in the future. But also they feel satisfied with their individual work. These contrary feelings will change the team attitude during this stage.  Anyway they have to be aware of the variety of feelings they might experience in order to conclude their tasks.
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*'''Process'''<br />Members can behave in two different ways. One is being concentrated on their task as a response to their sadness about the separation of the group, which leads to increasing of productivity. The other one is becoming less focused, forcing to a low productivity.
  
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In 1977, Tuckman, jointly with Mary Ann Jensen, added a fifth stage to the 4 stages: '''Adjourning''', that involves the process of ''unforming'' the group, letting go of the group structure and moving on. Some authors describe this stage as “Deforming and Mourning”, recognizing the sense of loss sometimes felt by team members. Adjourning involves dissolution. It entails the termination of roles, the completion of tasks and reduction of dependency.
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*'''Content'''<br />At this stage, teams have to accept the imminent transition. This will be possible if they focus on their tasks. They will have to complete any work that is left and make an evaluation of the team’s accomplishments. This last task is extremely important because they learn from their project and this can be used by future teams. In addition, it is important to make a celebration of the ending of the team’s existence as a formal way to disperse the group.
  
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*'''Feelings'''<br />Team members may feel a variety of concerns about the team’s impending dissolution. They may be feeling some anxiety because of uncertainty about their individual role or future responsibilities. They may feel sadness or a sense of loss about the changes coming to their team relationships. And at the same time, team members may feel a sense of deep satisfaction at the accomplishments of the team. Individual members might feel all of these things at the same time, or may cycle through feelings of loss followed by feelings of satisfaction. Given these conflicting feelings, individual and team morale may rise or fall throughout the ending stage. It is highly likely that at any given moment individuals on the team will be experiencing different emotions about the team's ending.
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Although it can be a really stressful stage, it is necessary for all teams as a self-evaluation of the team’s progress and process.
  
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*'''Process'''<br />During the Ending Stage, some team members may become less focussed on the team's tasks and their productivity may drop. Alternatively, some team members may find focussing on the task at hand is an effective response to their sadness or sense of loss. Their task productivity may increase.
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==Conclusion==
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Tuckman developed this theoretical framework based on some studies and previous literature. He stated that this was “a conceptual statement suggested by the data presented and subject to further test” <ref name="Stages of Small-Group Development Revisited" />. He observed that there were some limitations, because it is difficult to generalise. Thus, he stated that some empirical tests on real and laboratory groups were needed to confirm his hypothesis.
  
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*'''Content'''<br />The team needs to acknowledge the upcoming transition and the variety of ways that individuals and the team may be feeling about the team’s impending dissolution. During this stage, the team should focus on three tasks:
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In 1971, Runkel et al. studied three groups of college students, between fifteen and twenty members. They observed that many behaviours described by Tuckman appeared during the process. This can be applied also for current teams, in the sense that Tuckman’s developmental sequence shows up during the life of the project.
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**Completion of any deliverables and closure on any remaining team work
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**Evaluation of the team’s process and product, with a particular focus on identifying "lessons learned" and passing these on to the sponsor for future teams to use
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**Creating a closing celebration that acknowledges the contributions of individuals and the accomplishments of the team and that formally ends this particular team's existence.
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This final stage involves the disengagement of relationships between team members and a short period of recognition for the team’s achievements. Sometimes, concluding the operations of a team is disturbing for members, especially if they have worked together for long periods of time. The process can be stressful, particularly when the dissolution is unplanned.
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Each team takes its own time to close the cycle, depending on many factors such as its size, the frequency of meetings or the external influences. Although we could think that groups should stay a larger period of time in the Performing stage, it is true that many groups spend the similar time in each stage.
  
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This stage is characterized by:
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Here we include some observations to keep in mind. No team can be fully effective unless it reaches the Performing stage. Some teams adopt Storming as their way to function, although this many times leads to unproductive work. Other teams never move from the Forming stage. Teams will have to be aware that they can revert to Storming if the Norming stage is not finalised. In addition, we shouldn’t forget that Adjourning is a very important stage on the team’s life. It is the best way to make sure that the project is perfectly completed.
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*Disengagement
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*Anxiety about separation and ending
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*Positive feeling towards leader
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*Sadness
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*Self-evaluation
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[[File:Five Stages of Team Development.png|100px]]
 
 
==References==
 
==References==
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<references />
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[[Category:Human Behaviour]] [[Category:Project Management]]

Latest revision as of 14:25, 20 December 2018

Developed by Bárbara Garelly


Self-managed project teams need considerable time to show up its real aptitudes. What a group is capable of achieving depends in part on its stage of development. The team’s effectiveness can be improved if its members are committed to evaluate their work and receive feedback. However, the most important aspect is that every team member understands their development as a team.

Although every group’s development over time is unique, researchers have identified some stages of team development that many groups seem to pass through. The most famous model is the Four Stages of Team Development, developed by the psychology professor Bruce Tuckman in 1965 [1]. Tuckman proposed that all teams start somehow unproductive when they are first formed, and then they grow into a self-sufficient unit.

Although there have been other written variations from many authors, Tuckman’s stages of development – Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing – are a helpful technique to recognise the team’s behaviour and feelings during the process. Identifying and understanding why changes occur is a key component of the self-evaluation process. This can help the team reach the state of high-performance.

Contents

[edit] Tuckman's Model

Dr. Bruce Tuckman developed the Forming Storming Norming Performing model, which describes the way most teams approach high performance. In 1965, he published this theory in his article Developmental Sequence in Small Groups[2].

Tuckman’s theory provides an explanation to the development and behaviour of a team, how new relationships are created as it generates maturity and capability, and how the leader modifies his way to lead.

As time goes by, teams experience different changes. Because of this, Tuckman demonstrated that there are three key points that determine the team’s effectiveness. These are content, which relates to the work the team does, process, that focuses on how the team deals with its objectives, and feelings, which is oriented to relationships between team members. Tuckman’s analysis advises that most groups centralise only on the content part. He exposed that even really solid teams can have low efficiency because of ignorance to the process and feelings parts.

Tuckman proposed that there are four stages which describe the team’s life-cycle. The group dynamics change from low efficient and troubled to highly productive where the hard work leads to good resolution of the problems that arise. Tuckman’s theory states that these four stages are needed and crucial for a constantly growing group to confront new threats, deal with the upcoming issues, search for solutions, organise the work and bring up results. The stages are briefly explained in the next table.

Four Stages of Team Development [3]

[edit] Forming

Stage 1: Immature group

In the first stage, Forming, members try to get to know each other and search for agreement about what the group is seeking for and how should each one behave. This is also a situation in which it can be observed how each member works individually under pressure. In general, people’s behaviour is motivated by the desire of being accepted by the rest members of the group, without generating conflicts and trying that everything works as planned.

  • Feelings
    During the Forming stage, team members are enthusiastic about becoming part of the group and anxious towards the future work. It is also important to have in mind that they may be concerned about how well they will integrate the group and if their knowledge will be useful for the team.
  • Process
    Many behaviours can be observed during this stage. These mostly include members questions related to the teams interests and the uncertainty about which position they have inside the team. Members are highly motivated and behave adequately, but tend to work quite independently. They are more focused on themselves and usually this leads to ignorance of the problems and objectives of the team. For this reason, supervisors should manage the team during this stage.
  • Content
    The team focuses on defining their structure, the way they will work and the goals they will seek. This is extremely important in order to orient the members during the development process.

In this stage, some serious issues are avoided because the members only focus on aspects related to the team organization such as work distribution or group meetings. Also each member starts gathering the information necessary about the group task. Although it is really easy to stay in this state, avoiding the conflicts does not lead to “get the job done”. Anyway, it is an important phase for the team’s development because the team starts to agree on the objectives and to undertake the jobs.

[edit] Storming

Stage 2: Fractional group

In the second stage, Storming, it is observed that team members start to disagree about different aspects because they do not wish to proceed as the others want them to. These conflicts between members will derive on the rising of the most appropriate team leader although at first it might not be accepted by all members. During this stage, groups use to be especially susceptible.

  • Feelings
    As the team's project progresses to reaching the goals, members realise that their expectations were too optimistic. This may bring feelings of frustration towards the methods used until that moment. During this stage, members open up to each other and share their opinions, but feel that the rest judge them. This may lead to competence to consider different ideas. Team members will try to deal with conflicts in the best way they can and will observe how each one of them reacts to the opinions of the rest.
  • Process
    Throughout this stage, it is possible to observe that people’s attitudes will be poor comparing to the first stage. This is due to disagreements about objectives, project expectations or responsibilities of each member. Members may express their displeasure regarding the team’s limitations and other member’s way to work, as well as the team’s aim and organizing model. Some members will fix their attention to trivial issues to avoid fronting the real problems.
  • Content
    The team tasks during this stage are to be reconsidered. They should focus on the problems that are most important to find solution for. A good procedure should be divide big goals into smaller ones in order to achieve them step by step. Some other tasks, such as member skills or organizational conflicts, should be developed. In addition, the confusion experienced can be eradicated if the objectives, tasks and roles are well defined.

Some teams find it extremely difficult to leave this stage because members do not try their best to solve their discrepancies. A negative aspect is that the initial motivation is lowered and the conflictive situation can be destructive for the team. The group should reach a minimum level of maturity to be able to move on to the next stage. As well, they should establish a leadership model and accept it. This way, every team member will feel comfortable to participate in its development.

[edit] Norming

Stage 3: Sharing group

During the third stage, Norming, members become closer as they feel their friendship starts to grow. Group members come to a common understanding on which are the goals to achieve and how they should behave towards the rest of the group.

  • Feelings
    Members begin to solve their differences and set more flexible rules. Because of this, members will begin to feel more confident and will be able to express their own ideas more openly. Moreover, they will realize that it is important to have different opinions in order to obtain richer results. As everyone experiences acceptance of other group members, members start to feel welcomed in the team. The constructive criticism helps to develop a more cohesive group.
  • Process
    Members work hard to create a peaceful group. This is possible if they realize that having more useful communication is essential. In this stage, members are ready to make suggestions or ask the rest to explain the aspect they have not understood. Some jokes and nicknames appear during the conversations, which helps in the development of the members relationships.
  • Content
    The team becomes more productive in this stage because they start to concentrate on the goals. Members agree on the plan to follow to reach their objectives.

Although team members will have to desist on imposing their ideas in many occasions and agree with the rest, they are satisfied because this way the team will work correctly.

[edit] Performing

Stage 4: Effective group

The fourth stage, Performing, is when the real work is done. Depending on the kind of group we find, managers will have to make some decisions on this stage in order to ensure that the team is working effectively. Managers need to supervise the project and empower team members and assure that they have enough autonomy and responsibilities to make their own decisions.

  • Feelings
    Members during this stage feel satisfied with the team’s development. To this point, they are conscious of their own and the other’s strengths and weaknesses. They also have a common understanding about the methods used. Members feel linked to the team and perceive it as a unit “greater than the sum of its parts”. In general, they are really satisfied with the team’s effectiveness.
  • Process
    Members have a cooperative behaviour. They are able to avoid or solve problems during the process. Each member has several responsibilities and tasks depending on the necessities and more differences between members can be observed. However, this is used to strengthen the team’s work.
  • Content
    The team makes a notable improvement into the reaching of its goals. It is now when members are more devoted to seek the team’s objectives and when their real competences flourish. They should keep on working on the continuous development of the team. By expanding their knowledge and skills, the team can accomplish their targets.

Some high-performing teams achieve this stage because they work as an effective and self-managed unit. Members are capable to make decisions without external supervision. Some disagreements can happen, but never lead to conflictive situations. What is more, they are used to help the team to reach the state of high-performance. 

[edit] Further Research

When teams achieve the high-performance it may be a really enjoyable and rewarding experience. It is important that the team analyzes the product of their work. Many long-lasting teams suffer some changes that make them go back to previous stages, where they define new goals and react to the changes. This situation leads to high-effective teams that stay indefinitely in the Performing stage. However, this should not be the last stage of team development. It is necessary that teams focus also on the termination process in order to complete the project. For this reason, a fifth stage should be defined.

After some years of research, Tuckman and Mary Ann Jensen published their findings in the journal Group & Organization Studies, in 1977 [4]. They developed a fifth stage and added it to the Forming Storming Norming Performing model. They called it Adjourning and described it as a period when team members can observe and evaluate the team’s accomplishments. Also it is characterized by the detachment of team members, which can be sometimes a difficult phase.

[edit] Adjourning

Stage 5: Disbanding group

This fifth stage, Adjourning, applies only to groups that are eventually dissolved. Usually this happens when a group completes a finished product. It is essential that group members understand the necessity of “unforming” the group to be able to fulfil the work and to move on. Some authors describe this stage as “Deforming and Mourning” [5].

Five Stages of Team Development [6]
  • Feelings
    Several feelings emerge because of the upcoming disbanding. Members may feel grief, because of the changes on their relationship with the rest of the group, and tension, because they do not know what they will have to accomplish in the future. But also they feel satisfied with their individual work. These contrary feelings will change the team attitude during this stage. Anyway they have to be aware of the variety of feelings they might experience in order to conclude their tasks.
  • Process
    Members can behave in two different ways. One is being concentrated on their task as a response to their sadness about the separation of the group, which leads to increasing of productivity. The other one is becoming less focused, forcing to a low productivity.
  • Content
    At this stage, teams have to accept the imminent transition. This will be possible if they focus on their tasks. They will have to complete any work that is left and make an evaluation of the team’s accomplishments. This last task is extremely important because they learn from their project and this can be used by future teams. In addition, it is important to make a celebration of the ending of the team’s existence as a formal way to disperse the group.

Although it can be a really stressful stage, it is necessary for all teams as a self-evaluation of the team’s progress and process.

[edit] Conclusion

Tuckman developed this theoretical framework based on some studies and previous literature. He stated that this was “a conceptual statement suggested by the data presented and subject to further test” [4]. He observed that there were some limitations, because it is difficult to generalise. Thus, he stated that some empirical tests on real and laboratory groups were needed to confirm his hypothesis.

In 1971, Runkel et al. studied three groups of college students, between fifteen and twenty members. They observed that many behaviours described by Tuckman appeared during the process. This can be applied also for current teams, in the sense that Tuckman’s developmental sequence shows up during the life of the project.

Each team takes its own time to close the cycle, depending on many factors such as its size, the frequency of meetings or the external influences. Although we could think that groups should stay a larger period of time in the Performing stage, it is true that many groups spend the similar time in each stage.

Here we include some observations to keep in mind. No team can be fully effective unless it reaches the Performing stage. Some teams adopt Storming as their way to function, although this many times leads to unproductive work. Other teams never move from the Forming stage. Teams will have to be aware that they can revert to Storming if the Norming stage is not finalised. In addition, we shouldn’t forget that Adjourning is a very important stage on the team’s life. It is the best way to make sure that the project is perfectly completed.

[edit] References

  1. ↑ Using the Stages of Team Development, Judith Stein, HR web at MIT
  2. ↑ Developmental Sequence in Small Groups, Bruce W. Tuckman, 1965
  3. ↑ Bruce Tuckman’s Team Development Model, Rebecca Nestor for Aurora, 2013; Leadership Foundation for Higher Education
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Stages of Small-Group Development Revisited, Bruce W. Tuckman, Mary Ann C. Jensen
  5. ↑ Four (Five) Stages of Team Development – Bruce Tuckman, MC – Team Development
  6. ↑ Essentials of Contemporary Management (Fifth Edition), Gareth R. Jones and Jennifer M. George
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