Stages of team development: Tuckman’s 5 stages explained
Summary
As a team leader, your goal is to support and empower your team to get their highest-impact work done. When your team members feel comfortable with one another, it's easier to collaborate. To guide your team as it develops, it helps to understand the stages of group development.
Psychologist Bruce Tuckman was the first to document the stages groups go through as they develop. In this article, we discuss the stages of group development and how to guide your team through them to optimize collaboration.
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What are the stages of group development?
The five stages of group development are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. First introduced by psychologist Bruce Tuckman in 1965, this model describes how teams evolve from a collection of individuals into a high-performing unit.
Stage | Focus | Team dynamic |
Forming | Getting acquainted | Uncertainty and excitement |
Storming | Navigating conflict | Tension and role clarification |
Norming | Building cohesion | Trust and collaboration |
Performing | Achieving goals | High productivity and autonomy |
Adjourning | Wrapping up | Reflection and closure |
Understanding these stages helps team leaders provide the right support at the right time to enable collaboration and effective teamwork.
Tuckman's 5 stages of group development
According to Bruce Tuckman's model, the five stages of group development, forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning, outline the typical journey that team members go through as they evolve into a high-performing unit.
Stage 1: Forming stage
The forming stage is when individual members first get acquainted and establish initial group dynamics. This stage is characterized by uncertainty as individuals are unsure of their roles and how they'll interact.
Key characteristics of the forming stage:
Low productivity: The focus is on team formation rather than task completion
Uncertainty: Members are unclear about roles, expectations, and group norms
Politeness: Interactions tend to be cautious as members avoid conflict
Pro Tip: It's important to set ground rules early to guide collaboration and establish structure.
Read: Team structure: 10 effective ways to organize your teamStage 2: Storming stage
The storming stage is where conflict arises in group development. As team members begin to define their roles and work styles, disagreements are inevitable.
Common signs of the storming stage:
Opinion clashes: Members disagree on approaches, priorities, or methods
Power struggles: Competition emerges over roles and influence
Tension: Frustration builds as working styles collide
Though challenging, these conflicts help the group develop conflict resolution skills that strengthen team effectiveness.
Pro Tip: Help team members move on to the next stage of group development by encouraging problem-solving and group decision making to manage conflicts constructively.
Stage 3: Norming stage
The third phase of Tuckman's stages of group development is the norming stage. This is when things begin to settle down from the excitement of the previous stages. As the team's cohesion increases, teamwork becomes more efficient.
Members begin offering constructive feedback and asking for help when needed, which helps the team progress and reinforces group processes.
Read: Efficiency vs. effectiveness in business: Why your team needs bothStage 4: Performing stage
In the performing stage, your team has reached cohesion and is working together at its highest potential. Group members follow established workflows to achieve the team's goals and share a strong sense of purpose. This is the ideal stage, and as a team lead, it's your goal to help your team reach it as quickly as possible.
Pro Tip: Adjust your leadership style to actively guide your team through challenges and keep them focused on their common goals.
Stage 5: Adjourning stage
The adjourning stage, sometimes called the mourning stage, occurs when the project is complete or the team disbands. Group members may experience a sense of loss, as they've developed strong group dynamics. This is the time to celebrate accomplishments, reflect on what was achieved, and provide closure as the team moves on.
Pro Tip: Take time to recognize individual efforts and celebrate team success. This will help members transition from the final stage of group formation into new projects.
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Why team development isn't always linear
Team development is not always linear. While Tuckman's model presents the stages as a sequence, teams rarely progress in a straight line from forming to adjourning. Teams often move back and forth between stages in response to internal and external changes.
Common triggers that can cause teams to revisit earlier stages include:
New team members joining: When someone new joins the team, the group may return to the forming stage as dynamics shift and relationships are re-established.
Leadership changes: A new manager or team lead can disrupt established norms, pushing the team back into storming as roles and expectations are renegotiated.
Project scope changes: Significant shifts in goals, priorities, or strategy can create uncertainty and conflict, requiring the team to re-norm around new objectives.
Remote or hybrid transitions: Moving from in-person to remote work, or vice versa, changes how teams communicate and collaborate, often triggering a return to earlier stages.
Recognizing that regression is normal helps leaders respond effectively. Instead of viewing setbacks as failures, treat them as opportunities to strengthen team foundations.
When you notice signs of earlier-stage behaviors, take these steps:
Clarify roles: Revisit responsibilities and expectations
Reinforce communication norms: Re-establish how the team shares information
Address conflicts directly: Don't let unresolved tension fester
This proactive approach helps your team move forward more quickly and build resilience for future changes.
The Impact Playbook: Motivating employees in a fast-changing world
Boost motivation by helping your employees understand why their work matters. In this free ebook, learn how to create a shared sense of purpose on your team.
How to help your team through the stages of group development
As you build a new team, keep the stages of team development in mind to help individual team members reach their full potential. While there's no one right way to support your team, these four strategies can boost cohesiveness.
Read: The secret to great group dynamics1. Establish your team's mission early
Whether building a new team or collaborating with cross-functional partners, establishing your team's mission early is pivotal. Setting a goal before you start working together helps establish ground rules and keeps everyone focused on the group development process.
Depending on your team, define:
A mission statement: For example, a content team's mission might be, "To create content that engages and educates our target market."
A project goal: For smaller, cross-functional teams, the project objective can serve as your team's mission. For example, a collaboration between web development and marketing might aim to reduce page load time to 1.5 seconds.
Team roles: If you're working cross-functionally, assign individuals roles, such as reporting back to their respective teams or managing status updates.
In addition to your team's mission, set clear roles for each member. Solidify these roles early on and use a RACI chart to clarify who is responsible, accountable, contributing, and informed for each task.
Read: How a deal desk can improve your sales flow2. Clearly set expectations for communication
In the earlier stages of group dynamics, establish a clear communication plan. This plan outlines how your team will share key information with stakeholders. When communication channels are well-defined, team members can efficiently complete tasks and quickly access the information they need.
A solid communication plan also supports conflict resolution. Setting expectations early ensures smoother teamwork throughout the group development process.
Read: 12 tips to effective communication in the workplace3. Play to your team members'strengths
The roles team members play are essential to team performance, whether they align with their job titles or emerge naturally within the group dynamic.
As a team leader, delegate tasks and assign roles and responsibilities based on individual strengths. If certain team members are less engaged, prompt them for input to encourage participation. Assigning roles thoughtfully is a key step in the five-stage model of group development.
4. Confront conflict in a healthy manner
Avoiding conflict may seem easier, but it doesn't support team building. Teams that address issues head-on build trust and learn to work together despite differences.
Conflict resolution creates an open, judgment-free workplace. Regular 1:1 feedback helps resolve concerns early, while larger conflicts should stay between key individuals to prevent unnecessary tension.
Read: The best conflict resolution strategy you’re not usingHelp your team reach its goals with strong leadership
A strong team leader is the backbone of every high-performing team. Without strong leadership and solid team management skills, teams may struggle reaching the performing stage. By developing your own leadership skills, you can model best practices in collaboration and help your team reach its full potential.
Asana helps you support your team through every stage of development by providing clear visibility into goals, tasks, and progress. Get started to see how Asana can help your team collaborate more effectively and reach peak performance.
Read more about how you can become a strong leader with Asana's leadership resources.
The Impact Playbook: Motivating employees in a fast-changing world
Boost motivation by helping your employees understand why their work matters. In this free ebook, learn how to create a shared sense of purpose on your team.
