Stages of Team Development

This process of learning to work together effectively is known as team development. Research
has shown that teams go through definitive stages during development. Bruce Tuckman, an
educational psychologist, identified a five-stage development process that most teams follow to
become high performing. He called the stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, and
adjourning. Team progress through the stages is shown in the following diagram.

Most high-performing teams go through five stages of team development.

Forming stage
The forming stage involves a period of orientation and getting acquainted. Uncertainty is high
during this stage, and people are looking for leadership and authority. A member who asserts
authority or is knowledgeable may be looked to take control. Team members are asking such
questions as “What does the team offer me?” “What is expected of me?” “Will I fit in?” Most
interactions are social as members get to know each other.
Storming stage
The storming stage is the most difficult and critical stage to pass through. It is a period marked
by conflict and competition as individual personalities emerge. Team performance may actually
decrease in this stage because energy is put into unproductive activities. Members may disagree
on team goals, and subgroups and cliques may form around strong personalities or areas of
agreement. To get through this stage, members must work to overcome obstacles, to accept
individual differences, and to work through conflicting ideas on team tasks and goals. Teams can
get bogged down in this stage. Failure to address conflicts may result in long-term problems.
Norming stage
If teams get through the storming stage, conflict is resolved and some degree of unity emerges.
In the norming stage, consensus develops around who the leader or leaders are, and individual
member’s roles. Interpersonal differences begin to be resolved, and a sense of cohesion and unity
emerges. Team performance increases during this stage as members learn to cooperate and begin
to focus on team goals. However, the harmony is precarious, and if disagreements re-emerge the
team can slide back into storming.
Performing stage
In the performing stage, consensus and cooperation have been well-established and the team is
mature, organized, and well-functioning. 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 team is focused on problem solving and meeting team goals.
Adjourning stage
In the adjourning stage, most of the team’s goals have been accomplished. The emphasis is on
wrapping up final tasks and documenting the effort and results. As the work load is diminished,
individual members may be reassigned to other teams, and the team disbands. There may be
regret as the team ends, so a ceremonial acknowledgement of the work and success of the team
can be helpful. If the team is a standing committee with ongoing responsibility, members may be
replaced by new people and the team can go back to a forming or storming stage and repeat the
development process.
Team Norms and Cohesiveness
When you have been on a team, how did you know how to act? How did you know what
behaviors were acceptable or what level of performance was required? Teams usually
develop norms that guide the activities of team members. Team norms set a standard for
behavior, attitude, and performance that all team members are expected to follow. Norms are like
rules but they are not written down. Instead, all the team members implicitly understand them.
Norms are effective because team members want to support the team and preserve relationships
in the team, and when norms are violated, there is peer pressure or sanctions to enforce
compliance.
Norms result from the interaction of team members during the development process. Initially,
during the forming and storming stages, norms focus on expectations for attendance and
commitment. Later, during the norming and performing stages, norms focus on relationships and
levels of performance. Performance norms are very important because they define the level of
work effort and standards that determine the success of the team. As you might expect, leaders
play an important part in establishing productive norms by acting as role models and by
rewarding desired behaviors.
Norms are only effective in controlling behaviors when they are accepted by team members. The
level of cohesiveness on the team primarily determines whether team members accept and
conform to norms. Team cohesiveness is the extent that members are attracted to the team and
are motivated to remain in the team. Members of highly cohesive teams value their membership,
are committed to team activities, and gain satisfaction from team success. They try to conform to
norms because they want to maintain their relationships in the team and they want to meet team
expectations. Teams with strong performance norms and high cohesiveness are high performing.
For example, the seven-member executive team at Whole Foods spends time together outside of
work. Its members frequently socialize and even take group vacations. According to co-CEO
John Mackey, they have developed a high degree of trust that results in better communication
and a willingness to work out problems and disagreements when they occur.[1]

Using the Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing Tool

Follow the steps below to ensure that you're doing the right thing at the right time:
1. Identify the stage that your team is at from the descriptions above.
2. Consider what you need to do to move on to the next stage.
3. Schedule regular reviews of where your team is at, and adjust your behavior and leadership
approach accordingly.
Tuckman's model isn't a one-way street – teams may go back and forth between stages. When
you hit the performing stage, keep observing your team's progress in case it slips back. For
example, a new team member can disrupt the group dynamic, or a new business direction might
mean you have to reevaluate your team roles and goals.

Bruce Tuckman's 1965 Team-Development Model

Background Information
Dr Bruce Tuckman published his 'Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing' model in 1965. He
later added a fifth stage, Adjourning, in the 1970s. 
The 'Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing' theory is an elegant and helpful explanation of
team development and behaviour. Similarities can be seen with other models, such
as Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum and especially with Hersey and Blanchard's
Situational Leadership® model, developed about the same time. Both of these theories and
how they overlap with Tuckman's model will be briefly outlined below.

Why is Tuckman's Model useful?

Tuckman's model explains that as the team develops maturity and ability, relationships
establish, and the leader changes leadership style. Beginning with a directing style, moving
through coaching, then participating and finishing with delegation, at which point they are
almost detached. At this point, the team may produce a successor leader and the previous leader
can move on to develop a new team. 
This simple overview of the Tuckman 'Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing' model offers a
simple way to understand how groups develop. Tuckman's model is especially helpful in training
people on group work, thus enabling groups to fulfil their full potential.

Related Resources and Theories

 This progression of team behaviour and leadership style can be seen clearly in the
Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum - the authority and freedom extended by the leader
to the team increases while the control of the leader reduces. In Tuckman's 'Forming,
Storming, Norming, Performing' model, Hersey's and Blanchard's Situational
Leadership® model and in Tannenbaum and Schmidt's Continuum, we see the same
effect, represented in three ways.
 See also Leadership tips and Leadership theories, both of which relate strongly to
understanding and managing groups.
 The Conscious Competence Learning Model, together with Kolb's Learning Cycle
Theory, and the Johari Window Model all provide helpful additional ways to learn and to
teach others about Tuckman's ideas and their applications.

What are the Four Stages of Team Development?

The progression is:
1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
Below the features of each phase will be outlined in detail.

Stage 1: Forming
This stage is classified by:
 High dependence on the leader for guidance and direction. 
 Little agreement on team objectives other than those received from the leader.
 Individual roles and responsibilities are unclear.
 The leader must be prepared to answer lots of questions about the team's purpose,
objectives and external relationships. Processes are often ignored.
 Members test the tolerance of system and leader.
 The leader directs (similar to Situational Leadership® 'Telling' mode).
Stage 2: Storming
This stage is classified by:

 A lack of agreement when it comes to making group decisions. Team members attempt to
establish themselves and their position in relation to other team members and the leader,
who might receive challenges from team members. 
 Clarity of the team's purpose increases but many uncertainties persist. 
 Cliques and factions form. This may lead to power struggles. The team needs to focus on
its goals to avoid becoming distracted by relationships and emotional issues.
 Compromises may be required to enable progress. 
 The leader coaches (similar to Situational Leadership® 'Selling' mode).
Stage 3: Norming
This stage is classified by:

 Agreement and consensus largely forming among the team, who respond well to
facilitation by the leader. 
 Roles and responsibilities are clear and accepted. 
 Big decisions are made by group agreement. Smaller decisions may be delegated to
individuals or small teams within the group. 
 Commitment and unity are strong. The team may engage in fun and social activities. 
 The team discusses and develops its processes and working style. 
 There is general respect for the leader and leadership responsibilities are now shared
amongst the team. 
 The leader facilitates and enables (similar to the Situational Leadership® 'Participating'
mode).
Stage 4: Performing
This stage is classified by:

 The team's increased strategic awareness. It is now clear why the team is doing what it is
doing. 
 The shared vision of the team. It is now independent and does not need interference or
participation from the leader. 
 A focus on over-achieving goals and the team makes most of the decisions against
criteria agreed with the leader. The team has a high degree of autonomy. 
  Disagreements. However, they are now resolved within the team positively, and
necessary changes to processes and structure are made by the team. 
 The team can work towards achieving the goal and to attend to relationship, style and
process issues along the way. 
 Team members looking after each other. 
 The team requiring delegated tasks and projects from the leader. 
 The team not needing to be instructed or assisted. Team members might ask for
assistance from the leader with personal and interpersonal development. 
 The leader delegating and overseeing (similar to the Situational Leadership®
'Delegating' mode).

Tuckman's Model of Team Development Diagram

This a diagram of Tuckman's four stages of team development. Below is an outline of the fifth
stage, which Tuckman only added later after refining his theory.

Better quality diagrams are available as separate files here:

 Tuckman 'Forming Storming' diagram (doc format)
 Tuckman 'Forming Storming' diagram (pdf format)

Stage 5: Adjourning
Bruce Tuckman refined his theory in 1975 and added a fifth stage to the 'Forming, Storming,
Norming, Performing' model: Adjourning. This is also referred to as Deforming and Mourning. 
Adjourning is arguably more of an adjunct to the original four-stage model rather than an
extension - it views the group from a perspective beyond the purpose of the first four stages. 
The Adjourning phase is certainly very relevant to the people in the group and their well-
being, but not to the main task of managing and developing a team, which is more central
to the original four stages.
Tuckman's fifth stage, Adjourning, is the break-up of the group, once the task is completed
successfully and its purpose fulfilled. 
 From an organisational perspective, recognition of and sensitivity to people's
vulnerabilities in Tuckman's fifth stage is helpful. This is specifically if members of the
group have been closely bonded and feel a sense of insecurity or threat from this change. 
 Feelings of insecurity would be natural for people with high 'steadiness' attributes (as
regards the 'four temperaments' or DISC model) and with strong routine and empathy
style (as regards the Benziger thinking styles model, right and left basal brain
dominance).

Hersey and Blanchard's Situational

Leadership® 
The classic Situational Leadership® model of management and leadership style also illustrates
the ideal development of a team from immaturity (stage 1) through to maturity (stage 4). 
According to this model, the leadership style progressively develops from relatively detached
task-directing (1), through the more managerially-involved stages of explanation (2) and
participation (3), to the final stage of relatively detached delegation (4), at which time ideally the
team is largely self-managing, and contains at least one potential management/leadership
successor.
The aim of the leader or manager is, therefore, to develop the team through the four stages, and
then to progress on to another role.
The model also illustrates four main leadership and management styles, which a good leader can
switch between, depending on the situation (i.e., the team's maturity relating to a particular task,
project or challenge).
Background and Resources
 Situational Leadership® is a trademark of the Center for Leadership Studies, which
represents the interests and products of Dr Paul Hersey. Ken Blanchard (who incidentally
wrote 'The One Minute Manager') went on to develop the Situational Leadership®
system into what he called Situational Leadership II®, and which now covers a range of
products marketed by his organization, The Ken Blanchard Companies.
 Use of material relating to Situational Leadership® and/or Situational Leadership II®
requires licence and agreement from the respective companies. 
 For more detail on Leadership theories.

Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum

The Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum also correlates or overlaps with the models above in
the sense that management style tends to offer more freedom as the group matures.
The diagonal line loosely equates to the dotted line on the other two models. As the team
matures and becomes more self-sufficient and self-directing, so the manager's style should
react accordingly, ideally becoming more detached, more delegating, encouraging and
enabling the group to run itself, and for a successor to emerge.

See the Tannenbaum and Schmidt page for more detailed notes about this model. 
Other Resources Relevant to Team Development
 Find out more about Leadership theories.
 See the Johari Window model, which can assist the process of mutual awareness
development that is a major aspect within Tuckman's model, and in the development of
effective groups.
 For an additional and useful perspective on human development - especially concerning
group members of different ages see Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Theory.
 The Personality Models and Theories the section explores the behaviour and style of
individuals and the implications this has on managing groups, as does the Learning styles
and multiple intelligences section.

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “It’s lonely at the top” associated with leadership. But is
isolated leadership really effective? I don’t think so. In fact, I believe that, “He that thinketh he
leadeth, and hath no one following, is only taking a walk.” If you’re all alone as a leader, are you
really leading?
Losing touch with your people is a huge leadership landmine. It will damage your credibility and
destroy your influence. How do you avoid losing touch?
1. Recognize the landmine. Unfortunately, losing touch is an easy thing to do. A leader can
be tempted to withdraw by both success (“I don’t need to see my people”) and failure (“I
don’t want to see my people”). Understanding that it can happen is the first step to
avoiding it.
2. Value people. All leadership is influence. And what is influence if it doesn’t involve
other people? No matter what your organization produces or does, it needs people to
function. YOU need people to lead. Leadership becomes effective when you
acknowledge that people are your most appreciable asset, and treat them accordingly.
3. Avoid positional thinking. Your position or title shouldn’t define your leadership.
That’s positional thinking, and it will cause you to disconnect as a leader. Again,
leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less. I make it my goal to see the people I
lead as teammates, not employees. We work together toward a common goal.
4. Love the people you lead. Do you see your people as cogs in the machinery of your
organization, and yourself as the operator? They can tell if you don’t care about them.
And I’ve said for a long time that people don’t care how much you know until they know
how much you care. Loving your people makes the difference in their willingness to
follow you into anything, no matter how hard the battle.
5. Understand the Law of Significance. This is from my book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of
Leadership. In it, I explain that one is too small a number to achieve greatness. Many
years ago, I realized that I needed the help of other people to achieve what I felt called to
do. I now believe that any dream worth dreaming will be bigger than the dreamer. If you
can achieve your dream by yourself, your dream is too small!
The most effective leaders stay connected to their people. This gives them the greatest amount of
influence, and allows the leader and the team to achieve their big-picture goals together.
What about you? If you’re in a position of leadership, are your followers close at hand? Or have
you allowed yourself to lose touch?
The saying itself is a reminder that leaders must keep their people close; if you get ahead of
them, or lose touch with them, then you’re literally not leading anyone–you’re simply following
your own path (i.e., “taking a walk”). Leaders should never want to go it alone; they should
always desire to have someone with them, learning at their side, growing through the experience.

WOULD YOUR TEAM DESCRIBE YOU AS A SERVANT LEADER?

This might be a hard question to answer that might yield uncomfortable answers. But it is
imperative to ask this  question so you can self-correct, get the right attitude and work toward
serving others using your best gifts. If your personal gain continually outweighs your desire to
serve others, you are lacking the very heart of leadership – and that can be a problem – for you,
your company, your family and, ultimately, your success.
John Maxwell says: “Why you lead and the way you lead are important.
They define YOU, your leadership, and ultimately your contribution.”
DEFINING LEADERSHIP
John C. Maxwell, 2019 Horatio Alger award winner and named the #1 leadership guru as well as
author of over 75 best-selling books on leadership, sums up the definition of leadership like this,
“Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” So, if leadership is influence, you might
be asking yourself, “How do I influence others?” Think about someone who positively
influenced your life. What behavior or words were so impactful to you that you were influenced
to become a better person? What about someone who negatively influenced your life? What
behavior or words did they model and what effect did that have on you?
The point is that influence works two ways: positively or negatively. What matters most when it
comes to influence is having a positive attitude. Really? Yes, it really is that simple. Your
attitude is contagious and a positive attitude can shift the entire energy of an organization. Think
about the last time someone with a negative attitude walked into the room you’re in - you most
likely “felt” that negative attitude without even having that person speak one word. That’s why
John emphasizes the importance of a positive attitude for leaders.
HOW’S YOUR ATTITUDE?
Once you’ve shifted your attitude, you can get to the business of being a great leader. Being a
great leader is all about having a genuine willingness and a true commitment to lead others to
achieve a common vision and goals through positive influence. No leader can ever achieve
anything great or long-lasting all alone.
“Leadership is Influence, nothing more, nothing less.” - John C. MaxwellCLICK TO TWEET
Just because someone has the title of leader, doesn’t mean they are a leader. The greatest
reflection on a leader being a true leader is whether or not they are influencing anyone. And, of
course, the first place you’ll see that is in the leader’s people. An organization is only as great as
its people. If the people aren’t following, the leader isn’t leading. Too often leaders get too
focused on the bottom line financial results instead of growing their people and the company.
To succeed, one must stand as leaders in their organizations, regardless of position, and influence
the influencers. There are several factors that can attribute to emerging as a leader. Let’s take a
look at the seven factors highlighted in John Maxwell’s book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of
Leadership.

CHARACTER – WHO THEY ARE

“True leadership always begins with the inner person.”
The character of a leader will filter into the entire organization and its employees. Great
character will create potential for a great organization. But, it all begins with the leader’s heart.
 

RELATIONSHIPS – WHO THEY KNOW

“Build the right kinds of relationships with the right people, and you can become the real
leader in an organization.”
In your sphere of influence, you must develop deep, meaningful relationships that go beyond
seeing someone daily because you simply work in the same office. Relationships grow loyalty,
influence and ultimately the business.
 

KNOWLEDGE – WHAT THEY KNOW

“Whenever I was new to an organization, I always spent a lot of time doing homework
before I tried to take the lead.”
New environments bring about questions to be answered. By seeking knowledge before
demanding a leadership position, leaders have the chance to learn first, lead second.
 

INTUITION – WHAT THEY FEEL

“Leaders seek to recognize and influence intangibles such as energy, morale, timing, and
momentum.”
Leaders see past the obvious into realms that others cannot. This ability impacts the organization,
as well as the people around them, as they can steer momentum down the best path with the most
reward.
 

EXPERIENCE – WHERE THEY’VE BEEN

“The greater challenges you’ve faced as a leader in the past, the more likely followers are
to give you a chance in the present.”
All leaders face obstacles – in the office, at home and in their personal lives. However, through
overcoming difficulties, leaders grow in great ways. By navigating through multiple tough
experiences, followers will likely have more respect for where leaders have been… and where
they can take the organization in the future.
 

PAST SUCCESS – WHAT THEY’VE DONE

“Every time I extended myself, took a risk, and succeeded, followers had another reason to
trust my leadership ability – and to listen to what I had to say.”
Past success doesn’t guarantee future success, but it sure makes people feel more comfortable
with being led and influenced. Find ways to take on challenges and excel in them, and you’ll
soon be presented with new responsibilities and leadership opportunities.
 
 ABILITY – WHAT THEY CAN DO
“The bottom line for followers is what a leader is capable of. They want to know whether
that person can lead the team to victory.”
 
Now, let’s take a look at what is means to be a Servant Leader?
WHAT IS A SERVANT LEADER?
A servant leader’s focus is on serving others rather than serving themselves or being served by
others. A servant leader meets people where they are at so they can climb to the top alongside
them rather than charging ahead. Maxwell wrote that his shift into a servant-leadership role
happened when “[he] started to change his leadership focus to empowering others to do what
[he] was doing.” Servant leaders don’t want to be successful all on their own. Servant leaders are
looking to build a team not an empire, because they know once they build the team, success
follows.
“When you decide to serve others as a leader,
the team’s success becomes your success.” - John C. Maxwell
Mark Cole, CEO of John Maxwell’s companies, describes servant leadership this way:
Servanthood is about attitude.
He explains, “We’ve all encountered people in service positions with poor attitudes toward
servanthood: the rude worker at the government agency, the waiter who can’t be bothered with
taking your order, the store clerk who talks on the phone with a friend instead of helping you.
Just as you can sense when a worker doesn’t want to help people, you can easily detect whether
someone has a servant’s heart. When you encounter a worker who has the attitude of a servant
leader, everything changes.”
Mark offers you three habits that will help you become a servant leader:

PERFORM SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS.

As leader, it’s easy to get busy and forget about the people around us. When was the last time
you performed small acts of kindness for others?
Start with those closest to you. Find ways today to do small things that show other people you
care. You’ll be blown away by the positive impact even the smallest act of kindness can have on
someone.
LEARN TO WALK SLOWLY THROUGH THE CROWD.
I learned this great lesson from John Maxwell. The next time you attend a function with a
number of clients, colleagues, or employees, make it your goal to connect with others by
circulating among them slowly.
Focus on each person you meet. Learn names if you don’t know them already. Make your
agenda getting to know each person’s needs, wants and desires.
Spending time with people creates not only the desire to serve them, but the connection and
know-how to serve them well.

MOVE INTO ACTION.

If an attitude of servanthood is conspicuously absent from your life, the best way to change it is
to start serving. Feelings will follow footsteps—if you’ll begin serving with your body, your
heart will eventually catch up! Then, keep at it until your heart desires to serve others well.
GETTING DOWN TO THE HEART OF IT
So, how do we get to the heart of leadership? How can we better serve others?
Maxwell offers some insight in this area in the form of some questions you can ask yourself to
help with making the shift. There’s eight different questions that cover the areas of adding value,
every day, improvement, evaluation, the blind spot, respect, giftedness and example.
One: What can I do for people to help them succeed?
Two: What do people need from me daily that they may not want to ask for?
Three: What can I work on that will help me serve people better?
Four: How will I know that I am serving people well?
Five: What is it like for the people who work with me?
Six: How can I gain value while adding value to others by serving?
Seven: What do I do best that allows me to serve people better?
Eight: How can I serve people in a way that will inspire them to serve others?
After entertaining those questions, doing the appropriate research, and determining the answers
that best fit what your people need from you and how you can begin to serve them, you need to
put your newfound servant-leadership style into action.
“A change of heart is like gratitude. If it is unexpressed, it has little value.”
- John Maxwell, bestselling author, coach and speaker