Stages Of Team Development Discussion

Stages Of Team Development Discussion

Running head: 5 STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT 1

5 STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT 6

The Five Stages of Team Development

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The Five Stages of Team Development

The efficient performance of any team is entirely pegged on the process leading up to its formation. In the process of team development, the conglomerate undergoes several distinct stages aiming to form and maintain the relationship between its members. The strength and unity of the team members towards the attainment of collective goals are determined by the results of these stages. Overall, the process of team formation and development involves five stages, and they are discussed below. The process of team formation involving these five stages was first introduced as a concept by Bruce Tuckman. This approach treats team formation and development in a similar manner to the steps involved in maintaining a healthy human relationship.

1. Forming

The establishing stage is the first phase in the elaboration of a team or collective. It denotes the stage at which the members of the collective to be formed meet as a group for the first time. During this stage, members of the team receive information regarding the necessity of the collective as well as the aims behind the formation of the group. All the members of the collective share personal information and get to interact with other members. The main struggle in this stage of team development is the formation of first impressions. In some cases, members feel that they are not ready to work with the others due to their interests or backgrounds. To improve the experience in this stage of team development, it is imperative for the team leader to highlight and focus on the aims and goals of the collective since these supersede special considerations in the long run.

2. Storming

Storming is the second stage in the development of a team. Notably, the storming stage presents the most prevalence of conflict and competition. During this step in the team development process, members are aware of the collective goals and begin to differentiate their roles and duties towards the attainment of these targets. The principal characters and individuals in the joint start to emerge during the storming stage. The dominant people and characters begin to express their dominance in regards to role division and special duty allocation. The main issue in the storming stage of team development is the conflict emerging from the variation in members’ skills and contribution to the attainment of common aims. The key role of the manager or team leader in this stage is to maintain the sense of community and focus on the common goals as opposed to the individual contribution or skillset. Many teams fail to attain full formation due to conflicts that emerge at the storming stage.

3. Norming

The forming stage of team development occurs as soon as the collective manages to find common ground in the resolution of conflicts that abound in the storming stage. It is the third step in the process of developing a team. Notably, the level of team cohesion and morale are highest during the norming stage of the group. All the members of the team are now accepting and appreciative of the roles and contributions of the individuals in the collective. There is a heightened sense of community in the team during the forming stage of team development (Schermerhorn Jr. & Bachrach, 2015). At norming, all members indicate a unified focus towards the attainment of common aims and goals. Additionally, flexibility is high during this stage of team development. Members exhibit a willingness to take on additional roles and the flow of information among members of the team is seamless. The significant role of the manager during the forming stage of the team development process is to maintain the collaborative spirit by focusing on effective communication and information flow within the team.

4. Performing

Performing is the fourth stage in the process of group formation and development. At this juncture, the level of cohesion among the members of the collective is at an optimum. As such. The efficiency and functionality of the team are at its highest. There is a dominantly positive attitude among the members of the collective regarding the nearing completion of the group tasks. All members exhibit a focus on the successful conclusion of the set aims and targets. The allocation of resources and the flow of information in all areas of the team are seamless and efficient. Problem-solving, as well as conflict resolution, is no longer an issue during this stage of team development since all the members of the collective understand the various roles that they play in resolving any emerging issues. All members at the performing stage of team development also exhibit a willingness to adapt on the job and learn from each other. The primary challenge for the manager during the performing stage of group formation and development is to maintain the collective morale and prevent the team spirit from dwindling and causing the team to revert to previous steps in the team development process.

5. Adjourning

The adjourning stage of the group formation and development exercise is indicative of project completion as well as the successful attainment of common aims or targets. In many teams, this stage may pose some significant challenges that may hinder the proliferation of formed relationships. For instance, the adjourning stage brings some sense of confusion among the members which may obstruct the completion of the project at hand. Confusion may also emerge among the members of the collective regarding the future direction of the team after the project is complete. The challenge for the manager at this stage of team development is to provide adequate time for the celebration of project completion. Regardless of the direction taken by each in the group, the manager should ensure that there are strategies in place for communication among the members of the collective even after the disbandment of the team.

References

Schermerhorn Jr., J. R., & Bachrach, D. G. (2015). Management (13th Ed.). New York: Wiley &

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