Usually at this stage, we don’t have a very clear idea of our goals. For example, if they were invited to join a meeting or a committee, they may not be sure about the purpose of their role. Every team has different needs when it comes to their development. Which means, you may experience these stages in sequential order, or find yourself in a loop with one or more of the stages outlined above. As you learn about their progress, you ask them questions about their processes and notice how they collaboratively provide constructive answers.

Have an all-hands meeting to introduce all of these players, including remote team members , so everyone knows where to go for answers. Make sure you schedule the meeting at a time that’s as close to business hours as possible in each time zone. phases of team development This is also a good time to clarify which times zones everyone works in so people don’t have to wait an entire day for an answer to important questions. While conflicts are integral to team formation, you must learn how to manage them.

#3 Norming Stage

This strategy will foster a supportive and inclusive environment. During the storming stage, applying a directive leadership style is important to keep the team on track. Allow the team to provide constructive feedback to the team leader, the HR team, and any other relevant staff members not directly on the project team.

With a structured approach, you can improve your team’s performance at each stage of development. Emma-Louise Elsey has been coaching since 2003 and is the Founder of The Coaching Tools Company and Fierce Kindness.com. The Coaching Tools Company is an official ICF Business Solutions Partner. Use this model to establish where you are in the development stages, and decide what steps you personally want to take to help the team move towards performing. With Charma, you can guide team development remotely with intentional goal setting, online collaboration, and continuous feedback. Greater team cohesion means members can rely on each other to complete work and provide feedback in order to continually improve.

Strategic Project Management: Theory and Practice for Human Resource Professionals

Encourage team members to develop a schedule filled with large blocks of time that are free from interruptions like meetings or check-ins. In this world of constant notifications, it’s easy for people to get derailed and forget which goals are really important. This is especially important for creative and development teams. During the Storming stage, team members may argue or become critical of the team’s original mission or goals.

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. Your remote teams will go through the 5 stages of team development whether or not they have your guidance, but you can accelerate their progress when you know how to support them along the way. When you can identify which development phase your teams are in, it’s much easier to provide exactly the direction they need so they feel more focused and connected.

What are the 5 Stages of Team Development?

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.

The best approach toward conflict resolution is all about mediation and open discussions. When the third party is involved, it will be easier for conflicting individuals to appeal to a more objective view. The next strategy is establishing the ground rules early in the game. This approach will help your team to move effectively from one phase to the next. To make this happen, team members need to be ready to always listen to one another and have access to a group leader for consultation at all times.

How to Help Your Team Progress Through the Stages of Group Development

In this initial stage, group members gather and learn more about each other. Though some people might refer to the forming stage as “the honeymoon stage” of team building, it more closely resembles a first date. Teammates meet, discover group member strengths and weaknesses, explore the basics of the project, and form group goals. Group members designate roles and delegate responsibilities with help from team leaders.

Cycle restarts every time a new team member joins the team, thus every cycle is shorter, since your team is already established. A continuous improvement mindset is the enemy of the status quo. Providing consistent feedback prevents team stagnation because everyone is always striving to do and be better. By following the five stages of team development, teams are able to maximize their potential and produce better results in a shorter amount of time. This is because everyone is working towards common goals and have a clear understanding of how tasks should be handled or completed. During the “forming” stage of team development, the team members acquaint themselves with the basic aspects of their task.

Signs and questions to look out for in the storming stage

At the performing stage, it’s easy to accomplish tasks since members are in tandem and understand the process. Team members thrive when handling individual and collective tasks since each individual’s skills are fully optimized. Although members understand each other, conflicts may still arise at the norming stage of team development. Nonetheless, the conflicts can’t spiral into dysfunction because the team has gelled. Members have a more profound commitment to each other and the project’s completion, so it’s easier to handle conflicts. The imposing personalities in the team will become evident at this stage, especially when members start to share ideas openly.

• Team members adjust to teammate behaviors and devise strategies to overcome differences.
• Team learning can happen through group initiatives, innovative leadership, and training and is essential in ensuring healthy team development.
• The team members are now competent, autonomous and able to handle the decision-making process without supervision.
• In this article, we discuss the different stages of group development and how you can guide your team through them to optimize collaboration.
• You’ll need a copywriter for your content, an analyst to track and interpret the data you collect, a designer for website and app updates, and possibly a product manager.