The stages of team development

• Teams go through different stages of development before they reach consensus and perform optimally
• Team leaders who understand the stages of team development are able to lead and manage their team members effectively
• The theory around the stages of team development was created by Bruce Tuckman in 1965. According to his theory, there are five main stages in building a successful team, and a team will only perform at its peak if it moves through the five stages
• Stage 1: Forming


  Team members get to know each other

  • Aware of themselves
  • Good behaviour in new group
  • Plan work and new roles
• Stage 2: Storming


  Characterised by conflict

  • actively engage in tasks at hand
  • open up to each other, confront ideas
  • power struggle for position of leader
• Stage 3: Norming


  Team reach agreement and comes to a consensus

  • Roles and responsibilities are clear and accepted
  • Team has ambition to work for success of the team
  • Motivated and take pride in work
• Stage 4: Performing


  Team members are aware of strategies and aims of team

  • direction without leader interference
  • leaders delegate and oversee process
  • handle decision making without supervision
• Stage 5: Mourning


  Focus on completion of the task

  • Breaking up team is traumatic
  • Difficult to perform as individuals again
  • All tasks need to be completed before team dissolves