What are the stages of group development?
Summary
Have you ever wondered why it takes some time for a new team to hit peak performance? In this article, we discuss the different stages of team development and how leaders can guide their team through those stages to increase collaboration.
As a team leader, it's your goal to support and empower your team to help get their highest-impact work done. When your team members feel comfortable with each other, it’s easier to collaborate and work together. Alternatively, if your team is having challenges meshing, it may take them longer to get work done. 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 group forming stages that teams go through as they develop. In this article, we discuss the different stages of group development and how you can guide your team through them to optimize collaboration.
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What are the stages of group development?
The stages of group development are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. These five stages of team formation, first introduced by Bruce Tuckman in 1965, describe how groups evolve from a collection of strangers to a high-performing unit.
Each stage represents a unique phase in the group development process, where members experience different team dynamics as they build trust, navigate conflicts, and come together around common goals. Understanding these stages helps team leaders provide the right support at the right time to quickly 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 first stage of group development is the forming stage. In the forming stage of group development, individual members are just getting acquainted and establishing initial group dynamics. This first stage is characterized by uncertainty as individuals are unsure of their roles and how they’ll interact. Productivity is low since the focus is on team formation, and the group process is not yet in place. Pro Tip: It’s important to set ground rules early to guide collaboration and establish a sense of structure.
Read: Growing team? No problemStage 2: Storming stage
The second stage is the storming stage, where conflict arises in group development. As team members begin to define their roles and work styles, disagreements are inevitable. The storming stage of group development is often marked by clashes of opinions or power struggles. Though this can create tension, 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 of group development, your team has reached cohesion and are working together at their highest potential. Group members follow established workflows to achieve the team’s goals and develop a shared sense of purpose. This is the ideal group development stage. As a team lead, it’s your goal to get your team to this stage as quickly as possible. We discuss more about how to get your team to this point below.
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 fifth stage of group development is the adjourning stage, sometimes called the mourning stage. Once 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 the team’s accomplishments, reflect on what was achieved, and acknowledge the contributions of each member. It’s important to provide closure and recognition 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.
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 so you can help individual team members reach their full potential and collaborate together effectively. While there’s no one right way to support your team, try these four strategies to boost your team's cohesiveness.
Read: The secret to great group dynamicsThe 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.
1. 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 process of group development.
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. As you add people, identify the skills and qualities needed for the project. 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, understand their roles, and quickly access the information they need.
A solid communication plan also supports conflict resolution. If disagreements arise, team members will know the appropriate steps to address issues constructively. Since strong communication is the backbone of collaboration, 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. Some people naturally take charge, while others excel in strategy or project management. 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. As a team leader, set clear expectations for handling disagreements. Regular 1:1 feedback helps resolve concerns early, while larger conflicts should stay between key individuals to prevent unnecessary tension. Handling disagreements constructively is one of the essential steps of group development that keeps everyone working together.
Read: The best conflict resolution strategy you’re not usingHelp your team reach their goals with strong leadership
A strong team leader is the backbone of every high-performing team. Without strong leadership, teams may struggle reaching the performing stage. By developing your own leadership skills, you can model collaboration best practices and help your team reach their fullest potential.
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.
