There are typically four stages involved in developing a team: Forming (meeting and organizing), Storming (clarifying the project), Norming (determining roles and responsibilities), and Performing (undertaking the task).
At this stage, members of the group are getting to know each other and discovering the tasks they have before them. Often in a new group, obvious leaders will emerge. People will "check out" the other members of the group to decide on their level of commitment. In this stage there is often some anxiety and confusion.
Two important things must happen during this stage:
A team will also go through a forming phase any time a new member is added to an already formed team. As the new people enter the team they ask questions about how they fit into the team, what they will learn, how they will contribute, the benefits, and finally the expectations from others. Members of the group will ask themselves if they can trust the new person, how the person will change the group's dynamics, how the person will contribute, and if he/she can work with the new person.
A facilitator or manager can help get the "reforming" team through this phase by telling the new employee about the group members and the task, introducing the new member to the group, explaining the contributions the new member can make, making bridges with common skills between members, communicating clearly, being available to answer questions, and encouraging the team members to welcome the new employee.
By this stage, all members will have "bought in" to the group and the task. Now there may be some power games and jockeying for position as to who will perform what leadership roles within the group. There could be frustration among team members, and some may feel that the group is so scattered that they cannot complete the task.
This phase may be over quickly, or it may take months or years. Having a good manager of facilitator should help most groups move past any conflict. A facilitator should emphasize good communication skills and encourage the group to move on to complete their goals.
Sometimes in groups the need for consensus is so high that storming does not occur and poor decisions are not challenged. This type of agreement to unquestionably "go along with the rest of the team" is called Groupthink. The team can revert to the storming stage any time there is conflict. Teams must not dwell on their differences, but rather look at each individual's strengths. The team leader or facilitator cannot ignore conflict once it surfaces. The team must resolve conflict, or it will fester and explode. It is important to focus on the task and continue to move forward.
After getting past the storming phase, group members should now move on to understanding their relationships and responsibilities. They should determine some ground rules, such as how meetings are conducted and when they are held, how members will treat and communicate with each other, and how the work will be accomplished. The facilitator or leader will take a smaller role at this stage dealing with "personnel" issues because members will be more comfortable in their roles. The leader will want to make sure that meetings are held so that members can share experiences and attitudes, provide input and comments, and receive feedback on their accomplishments.
At this stage, the work is being done, and the team is able to diagnose and solve problems as they occur. The group may become very creative at this stage. Confidence may grow and there should be a high level of trust. Leadership could come from any member, and members should share responsibility.
It takes a lot of work to achieve a team, but the high level of productivity that can result is well worth the effort.
This stage is going back to the first step. After accomplishing its goals, most teams disperse and come back together in different forms. Some groups reform with new personnel or redefined tasks as stated above.
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Velda Arnaud,
Ph.D.
Executive Director
Lead, Educate, Serve Society
leadeducateserve@gmail.com
Last updated 1/1/15 (va)
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