Team Life Cycle 2

Team life cycle (contd)
Teams work through distinct stages as they are developing.

The four development stages identified (Tuckman 1960s) are:

• Forming

• Storming

• Norming

• Performing

A fifth stage 'Adjourning' was identified (Tuckman & Jensen - 1977) which completes the team life cycle.

Tuckman's Stages of Group Development

1. Forming - 'getting to know you stage'

• Individual members share information about themselves and the purpose of the group. 

• Polite conversation, underlying tension and anxieties as members attempt to clarify their objectives. 

2. Storming - the crucial stage

• Tension and anxiety as members start to disagree and challenge one another's ideas and earlier decisions.

• Power struggles for position as leader.

• Resentment of  the roles allocated to them by others

• Impatience about the lack of progress

• Interpersonal issues have to be resolved, so don't expect too much too soon. But if managed this conflict is healthy and brings a greater understanding within the group.

3. Norming - defining ways of working together

• Shared expectations of acceptable behaviour are agreed, including roles, attendance, participation, agendas and basic conversational courtesies.

• Agreement on the ground rules for what will and will not be tolerated in the group. 

4. Performing - getting on with achieving objectives

• Resolving of all interpersonal issues

• A high degree of cohesiveness and commitment

5. Adjourning

• The team has achieved it's objectives and so dissolves or individuals leave

• Reflection on the team's success

• Reorientation for future projects

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