2. Stage 1 - Forming
Forming is the stage in team development
where everything is up for grabs.
• Characteristics: milling around, polite and
superficial conversation, guarded/watchful
•Questions: Why was this team formed?
• What will get me rewarded? In trouble?
•Leader’s role is primarily directive,
pointing people in the right direction until
the team can configure itself.
3. Stage 2 - Storming
Members feel free to disagree with each other
and the leader.
•Characteristics: hostility, infighting, major
moaners, blaming, and poor communications.
•Who’s in charge? How do we arrive at
decisions? What are we supposed to do?
•Leader directs traffic, serves as a coach, sets limits
and offers suggestions.
4. Stage 3 - Norming
Norming occurs when team members adjust
to one another and become comfortable.
•Characteristics: willingness to solve
problems, confronting issues, constructive
feedback.
•What’s acceptable? What’s not? What are
the standards and deliverables? What are
the goals?
•Leadership begins to fade as important data
is shared among team members.
5. Stage 4 - Performing
Team constantly strives to be proactive,
anticipate demands, share in growth.
•Characteristics: collaboration,
enthusiasm, trust, self motivation, and
“clean” fights.
•How can we do our job better? How can
we ensure high quality? What’s next?
•Leadership of the group depends on
everyone since mutual
interdependence now becomes
very important.
6. The 4 Stages of Team Development (summary)
Forming - A group has to form, get to know one another, backgrounds, history, why they are
on the team, what are the goals of the team and the members, many teams short change this
effort. What is important is this needs to be done EVERY time a new member or person
joins.
Storming - This is when everyone is past the 'let's be nice stage' and start to have
disagreements (I mean different perspectives) about an issue or topic. This feels
uncomfortable and most of us never learn how to deal with conflict constructively. This is
the stage where most teams stop working effectively and many times self-destruct. The team
needs to spend time learning how to deal with conflict amongst one another. (A future post
maybe).
Norming - This is where the team sets behavior standards and expectations for one another
which might cover everything from attendance to conflict to team processes. This is critical
in order to get to the next step.
Performing - This is the whole point of being together, usually to get something done.
Shortchanging the first three stages will probably mean the team goals will not be optimized
or maybe not achieved at all. Usually if the first three have been completed performance
occurs at a much higher level.
7. The 4 Stages of Team Development (summary)
Forming - A group has to form, get to know one another, backgrounds, history, why they are
on the team, what are the goals of the team and the members, many teams short change this
effort. What is important is this needs to be done EVERY time a new member or person
joins.
Storming - This is when everyone is past the 'let's be nice stage' and start to have
disagreements (I mean different perspectives) about an issue or topic. This feels
uncomfortable and most of us never learn how to deal with conflict constructively. This is
the stage where most teams stop working effectively and many times self-destruct. The team
needs to spend time learning how to deal with conflict amongst one another. (A future post
maybe).
Norming - This is where the team sets behavior standards and expectations for one another
which might cover everything from attendance to conflict to team processes. This is critical
in order to get to the next step.
Performing - This is the whole point of being together, usually to get something done.
Shortchanging the first three stages will probably mean the team goals will not be optimized
or maybe not achieved at all. Usually if the first three have been completed performance
occurs at a much higher level.
