The 5 Stages of Team Development (Tuckman Model)

The 5 stages of team development (called the Tuckman Model) walks through the different phases of team building. This theory shows what stages a successful team will pass through on the way to peak performance.

Knowing this helps leaders understand where their team currently is, as well as what they still need to do to reach a good group dynamic.

• Forming: Things are just getting started. The team is coming together, assigning tasks, and collecting information. It’s important to note that if and when a new team member hops on board, the entire existing team might return to this stage at that point.
• Storming: Here’s where things start to get real. The niceties are out of the way. Team members are discovering more about each other— including habits and preferences. Relationships form and competition can run high, which means leadership is extra important at this stage.
• Norming: The rocky start is out of the way, and things are starting to calm down. Team members are beginning to build trust. They recognize everybody’s strengths and cooperative work is happening. Leaders can begin to take a step back, but be aware that there’s a risk of the team becoming complacent and losing some of its creative edge at this stage.
• Performing: Successful collaboration is thriving and team goals are being met. If you’ve made it to this stage, give yourself a well-deserved round of applause. Not all groups become high-performing teams. Effective leadership communication is crucial for reaching this level! This phase is where the magic happens. Team members are on the same page and are knowledgeable, motivated, and competent. They’re self-managing and acting mostly independently. They have come to accept collaborative decision-making as part of the process.
• Adjourning and Transforming: This is the end of the team’s time together—whether you’ve wrapped up that project or a member has left. Goodbyes are always bittersweet, but don’t forget to take a minute to celebrate everything you accomplished together!

(Reference: https://www.fingerprintforsuccess.com/blog/team-dynamics)