The 5 Stages of Team Development, With Examples

Taking talented individuals and turning them into a high-performance team is always a challenge in today’s work environment, and the issues of creating and coaching a collaborative and trusting team are always evolving.

Behavioral psychology can help. It all starts with the stages of group development discovered by Bruce Tuckman in 1965.

What is Tuckman’s model of team development?

Tuckman’s model of team development recognizes that groups don’t form spontaneously or immediately. They develop through clearly defined stages, eventually transitioning from strangers with singular ambitions to a dynamic group of collaborators with a like-minded focus.

Tuckman—a behavioral psychologist—originally came up with his team-building theory in 1965 when his research revealed that groups of all kinds followed a common four-step pattern when forming into teams. Twelve years later, in collaboration with Mary Ann Jensen, he expanded the theory to include a fifth stage, which took into account the team’s disbanding once it reached its goals.

For over 50 years, managers and team leaders across many industries, including health and social care, the military, and software development, have leveraged Tuckman’s stages model to reach their desired results. Let’s explore the stages and offer some ideas for group activities to help your team reach its full potential.

The 5 stages of team development

The five stages of team development are:

• Forming
• Storming
• Norming
• Performing
• Adjourning

This team development framework, according to Tuckman, progresses naturally and fluidly, each stage building on the one that preceded it and sometimes reverting to a previous stage before moving forward. We explain each stage in detail below.

1. Forming stage

The forming stage of team development is when the group members of a new project team come together for the first time. While new team members often express shared excitement over the team’s purpose, some nervousness is also very common.

Since group dynamics have yet to be established, individual members may feel unsure of how they’ll fit into the process of achieving the project goal. At this stage of the team development process,  milestones are more about team-building and clearly defining team roles and responsibilities.

This is a good time for the group leader or manager to discuss the team’s mission. Address the ground rules, clearly stating the team norms while reviewing expectations for team dynamics.

How to be successful in the forming stage

In the forming stage, most new team members are eager for the team leader’s guidance. While everyone likely has plenty of questions, some team members may still be nervous about speaking up in front of the group.

A successful leader will use this to their advantage, taking charge and laying the foundations for team success. During these earlier stages of team building, being a successful leader is largely about providing clarification and a shared team vision. Leadership strategies in the forming stage include:

• Facilitating introductions. The average team consists of members of a diverse range of skill sets and personalities. The forming stage is an excellent time to facilitate ice-breaking exercises to foster trust and a sense of belonging.
• Defining the team’s goals. Now is the time to get everyone on the same page about what the team needs to accomplish and why. Establish a shared vision and break down the steps the team will take to achieve it.
• Clarifying team roles. A productive team needs structure and clearly defined roles. This is the time to establish a decision-making hierarchy and explain how each team member will be expected to contribute.
• Outlining project management expectations. Introduce any project management tools or strategies you intend to use to keep the team on track toward deadlines. Create a schedule for regular team meetings and check-ins.

• Fostering open dialogue. A great leader is also a great listener. Encourage team members to share any questions or concerns up front to foster mutual trust and respect.
  

2. Storming stage

The storming stage of team development is the second stage, when team members move past the deferential comfort zone of the forming stage. As individual personalities and working styles emerge, clashes can happen.

During the storming stage, power struggles, tension over conflicting opinions, and the formation of cliques may hinder the team’s progress. But while the storming stage can be challenging, it’s a normal (and often important) part of the team development process.

Ultimately, team members will have to come to a consensus about how to move forward as a team. That said, team leaders need to take an active role in resolving minor conflicts professionally before they turn into major issues.

You can help the team break through the storming stage by encouraging members to refocus on goals. Try breaking large goals down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Then, work with the team to redefine roles and help them flex or develop their task-related, group-management, and conflict-management skills.

How to be successful in the storming stage

The ability to anticipate the storming stage can be a major asset for team leaders. Don’t get sucked into any team-wide discouragement that may set in—instead, preserve morale by serving as a mediator.

Help your team move through this turbulent stage by:

• Turning conflicts into opportunities. Acknowledging that complications are natural at this stage can help put your team at ease. Encourage team members to focus less on problems and more on solutions.
• Establishing boundaries. Set ground rules to foster mutual respect. For instance, keep outspoken team members from dominating the conversation so everyone can express their viewpoints without interruption.
• Practicing active listening. Conflict mediation is often less about providing answers and more about guiding team members to their own solutions. Practicing active listening will help you steer the conversation in the right direction.‍
• Remaining objective. Resist the urge to take sides when mediating conflicts over clashing opinions. Focus on offering healthy conflict resolution strategies to bring your team closer together.

3. Norming stage

The norming stage is the third stage of Bruce Tuckman’s development model. During the norming stage, the initial confusion and conflict of the earlier stages begin to give way to cohesion and collaboration.

Some teams will toggle back and forth between the storming and norming stages. This may happen if work priorities shift, temporarily throwing team members off-kilter. The storming will dissipate with time, and team members will appreciate how individual and group performance overlap.

Wait, watch, and intervene only where necessary. The group needs to work out this dynamic organically. You can encourage self-evaluation to determine whether there is room for process improvement, but your primary focus should be on achieving stability.‍

How to be successful in the norming stage

As a team enters the norming stage, team leaders can lay the groundwork for the high-performing stage that’s soon to come. While a lesser degree of conflict mediation may still be necessary, fostering teamwork and motivation remains equally important.

Below are some hallmarks of a successful leader during the norming stage:

• Celebrating wins. The norming stage often ushers in a wave of productivity as the group dynamics and norms become established. This can be an excellent time to boost motivation by celebrating the contributions of various team members.
• Encouraging team building. Seek opportunities to capitalize on the growing trust between group members. This can provide your team with valuable chances to solidify growing bonds and enhance feelings of inclusion.
• Collecting group feedback. Now is also a great time to evaluate team progress as a group. Provide opportunities to address challenges and develop collaborative solutions.
• Providing individual support. Not all team members may feel comfortable addressing individual challenges in a group setting. Emphasize that your doors are always open if anyone needs individual coaching.

4. Performing stage

The performing stage of Bruce Tuckman’s group development model is where a team achieves peak performance. By now, team members have honed their conflict-resolution abilities and spend less time focused on interpersonal dynamics and more on team effectiveness.

This is where surges in creative problem-solving and idea generation occur. The lines between individual performance and team success blur as the team works to deliver results.

As momentum builds and each team member leans into the team’s goals, personal and collective productivity begin to increase. This may be the perfect time to evaluate team functions and increase productivity even more.

Even as you push for greater productivity, you should reward team members by showing confidence in their abilities, offering support for their methods and ideas, and celebrating their successes.

How to be successful in the performing stage

In the performing stage, a team leader can become more of a facilitator as each group member embraces their individual role and responsibility.

While the occasional conflict may still arise, providing great leadership in the performing stage often comes down to providing encouragement and strategic direction by:

• Continuing to offer coaching and support. By this stage, you’ll ideally have earned the trust and respect of each group member. Offer assistance in helping team members address any challenges that may arise.
• Encouraging shared leadership. Shared leadership among various group members will naturally arise throughout the development process. Celebrate this process as a win and encourage collaborative efforts.
• Acknowledging contributions. Some team members will naturally have more dynamic personalities than others. Make sure even the most reserved team members’ contributions don’t go unnoticed.
• Fostering work-life balance. While the performing stage is where the magic happens, beware of the dangers of burnout. Insist on maintaining a healthy work-life balance to keep your team performing at its best.

5. Adjourning stage

The adjourning stage is the fifth and final stage of the group development process. The adjourning stage often brings up bittersweet feelings as team members conclude the group’s functions.

During the adjourning stage, team members might experience a mixture of satisfaction over the group’s achievements and sadness over their upcoming farewells. In the meantime, they focus on completing any deliverables, finalizing documentation, and meeting reporting requirements.

Some group members may begin looking forward to their next project, while others experience uncertainty about the future.

Management can help the team navigate through the adjourning phase by acknowledging the team’s accomplishments and recognizing the difficulties of tackling all the loose ends.

How to be successful in the adjourning stage

Team leaders are crucial to helping a team navigate the emotions that often arise during the adjourning stage. Effective leadership in this stage of a group project involves equal parts support and planning.

Below are some ways to stick the landing in this final stage:

• Recognize achievements. Celebrating individual and team success can be a great way to boost motivation as the project ends.
• Address uncertainty. The end of a team project often brings up anxiety as group members wonder what the future holds. Providing any support or resources available may help team members navigate the transition.‍
• Active listening. A listening ear and emotional validation can be more effective than simply telling team members to “look on the bright side.”‍
• Practical considerations. Remember to stay on top of any final tasks that need to be completed. Make sure all deliverables are complete, and prepare any additional information required for other stakeholders.

Group activities for each stage of team development

As your newly formed team starts its journey together, nurture team members through each phase of team development through team-building activities.

For example, let’s say you’re heading up a group in your marketing department dedicated to the launch of a food product for a new client. The campaign will last six months. About half of your creative team members are full-time workers who know each other well and have been with the company for years. The other half are remote independent talent hired for this specific campaign.

This is the first time anyone among the group of independent talent has worked with anyone from the company. Because you’re managing a distributed team, focus on boosting collaboration between employees and freelancers.

Consider the following activities to bolster camaraderie among members on your creative team.‍

Stage 1: Forming activities

Forming is all about getting acquainted with the company and team members. The following activities—which everyone can participate in over video conferencing—can be helpful icebreakers:

• Introductions. Match up each full-time or existing team member with a new team member. Each will tell the other their name, their job on the team, and two fun facts about themselves. Each person will then introduce the other to the group.
• Client trivia. If the client you’ll be working for is new to the company, everyone might have limited knowledge about them and their product or service. Divide your group into two teams Give one team 30 minutes to research the client and the other team 30 minutes to research their product or service. Each team will then have one hour to create a 15-minute presentation about what they learned.
• Pet pictures. Nothing brings people together like their pets. Have everyone change their online avatar to a picture of their pet for the day. Encourage people who don’t have pets to take a picture of something (or someone) else in their home they are fond of, like a favorite plant.

Stage 2: Storming activities

Storming stage activities usually center around conflict resolution and the easing of tensions.

• Use video whenever possible. Since your full-time and remote independent workers are still learning to work together, encourage them to communicate via video, especially to resolve issues. Workers will be much more likely to empathize and work toward a resolution when they see each other’s expressions and body language.
• Give compliments. A great storming stage activity is to help remind people that everyone on the team is there because they have something valuable to contribute. As the new kids on the block, the temporary creatives may feel insecure about how the team evaluates their work. Encourage full-time team members to complement and thank the independent talent for their contributions when appropriate.
• Look how far we have come. Map out a visual representation—like an infographic or a slide deck—of the team’s progress so far. This reminds everyone that they’re working toward a common goal. Consider noting accomplishments like creating new workflows or doing brand research, then visualizing them in a slideshow presentation.

Stage 3: Norming activities

You want to give the team a wide berth during the norming stage as they move toward the performing stage. It’s not unusual for some group members to propel the team back, at least temporarily, into storming.

Try hosting a virtual happy hour or fomd some other lighthearted way for independent creatives and full-time team members to meet for reasons other than work.

Stage 4: Performing activities

Performing is the culmination of all the hard work your team has put in so far, but the last thing you want is for your team to start resting on their laurels.

Keep the momentum going with these activities:

• Think about the future. This is similar to the “look how far we have come” visualization but created as if you are living a few months in the future. The idea is to keep the team pumped up by imagining where they are headed and what it will feel like to reflect on their success. Canva is a free drag-and-drop platform that team members can use to create virtual future-vision boards.
• Ask three questions. Since your team is in a creative flow, it’s a perfect time for some constructive feedback. Get the hive mind working by asking the team these three important questions:some text
  • What is working?
  • What isn’t?
  • What can we do better?
• See what sticks. This is a rapid-fire brainstorming game where the group gathers ideas about innovative ways to push the project over the finish line. If your team is on its way to completing the food product campaign, you can focus the group on brainstorming ideas for future adjourning activities. The point is to get your independent creatives and full-time team members engaged with each other. Set up a video call and encourage all ideas—including off-the-wall ideas.

Stage 5: Adjourning activities

Adjourning is a time to acknowledge accomplishments while bringing closure to the team’s work. The independent professionals will move on to their next contract engagements, and full-time team members will move on to other projects.

If you did the “think about the future” activity in the performing stage, consider repurposing the vision board to evaluate how well the team accomplished its goals.

Get the group together on a video call and invite everyone to share their experiences of working with the team. Challenge each team member to acknowledge the campaign’s ups and downs, discuss the lessons learned, and provide suggestions for applying the skills, knowledge, and insights they gained to their next engagements.

Once this post-mortem is concluded, you might want to send each team member a personal thank-you note acknowledging their unique contribution or organize a group celebration. ‍

Tools and resources to help the team through each stage

The right resources can go a long way toward fostering team synergy and cohesion. Below are some tools and resources that leaders can use to guide group members through the five stages of team development.

Team transparency tools

One of the primary tasks of a team leader is getting (and keeping) everyone on the same page. From team communication tools like Slack to project management boards like Asana and Trello, you can research and choose from among a number of excellent tools that can help.

If you’re running a remote team, also consider options like Gatheround: an all-in-one solution with meeting rooms, icebreakers and prompts, presentation features, real-time analytics, polls, and more.

Icebreaker activities

Being a team leader during the forming stage can sometimes feel like hosting a party for people who’ve never met. If you’re in search of ideas that can help you get the conversation started, check out HubSpot’s selection of over 170 free icebreaker games and activities.

While there are plenty of other online resources, the perk of HubSpot’s collection is that it includes ideas for in-person and remote teams of all sizes. Use an idea as-is or customize it to suit the needs of your team.

Team building games

There are now plenty of great card games designed for the workplace. Finding the right option for your team can be a fun way to break the ice in the forming stage, foster empathy during the storming stage, or facilitate team bonding in the norming stage.

Some popular options worth exploring are:

• 400 Conversation Cards for Coworkers. This team-building card game comes with questions grouped into five different categories, from light icebreakers to deeper, work-related questions. It can be a great way to encourage participation among more reserved team members.
• 52 Essential Relationship Skills by Mind Brain Emotions. A Harvard researcher developed this tabletop card game to help build trust and empathy among team members. It also includes an emotional intelligence assessment and an online course.
• Office Madness. Use humor as a team-building tool at any stage with the Office Madness card game. It fosters inclusion and bridges cultural, generational, and personality gaps.

Tests and assessments

Team projects bring together people with a wide range of personalities and work styles. But the unique traits of each group member rarely surface until the storming stage, which is part of the reason it tends to be so stormy.

Consider taking a proactive approach by having team members complete personality or work style assessments. Having each share the highlights of their assessment can be a great icebreaker that gives team members the information they need about how to best relate to one another.

Some popular assessments and tests include:

• Myers-Briggs personality test
• Enneagram personality test
• DiSC assessment
• Keirsey temperament test

Conflict resolution resources

For better or worse, the extent of a team leader’s conflict resolution skills can highly influence the course of a team’s dynamics. The good news is that plenty of resources are available to help ensure you have the skills to mediate disagreements that may arise during a team project.

The Conflict Resolution Network offers many resources, from free podcasts to an in-depth training course. Its conflict resolution template can be a great resource for working through and documenting conflicts.

Feedback tools

Collecting feedback can prove incredibly valuable, particularly during the norming, performing, and adjourning stages. However, some team members may find offering their honest opinions easier than others.

Never underestimate the power of creating completely anonymous feedback surveys. Tools like SurveyMonkey and SurveyHero make it easy to create customizable questions your team can answer without compromising their anonymity.

Achievement recognition resources

A great leader provides constructive feedback and also acknowledges wins.

Whether you run a remote, hybrid, or in-person team, tools like Bonusly can help build a positive culture. It comes with everything you need to encourage peer-to-peer recognition, hand out rewards, and celebrate milestones. You can also integrate Bonusly into a number of popular project management tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams.

Work-life balance resources

For in-person team leaders, preventing burnout during the performing stage can be as simple as hosting an office party or a group outing. But what if you’re working with a remote team?

Online resources like Confetti offer live-hosted online events for hybrid and virtual teams. You can choose from a wide range of categories designed for groups at different stages of the team development process.

Develop an effective team today

Guiding a group through the five stages of team development requires a great deal of skill and effort. If you’re a team leader who could use some advice on bringing out the best in your team, reach out to one of the many independent team-building professionals on Upwork.

Whether you need help designing a group activity or creating a positive work culture, we’d be delighted to connect you with an expert who can help. If you are a team-building professional, check the team-building job board on Upwork to connect with top clients searching for your expertise.

‍

Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.