I/O psychology
Assignment 3, 1 Feb 2K
Jeff Absher
xxx-xx-xxxx
Describe Gersick’s Punctuated Equilibrium Model and Tuckman’s Five Stage Model of team
Development.
Punctuated Equilibrium states that a group undergoes a large transition in the middle of their allotted time
to complete a task.
Phase I of this two-phase model includes the first meeting of the group and the setting of expectations and
direction, followed by a period of “equilibrium.” This period of equilibrium can be a time of information
gathering or of trial steps in incorrect directions by members of the group. At approximately the midpoint
of the time to complete the task, the group undergoes a transition from low productivity to high
productivity. Accompanying this transition is a “burst of activity,” as the group attempts to redefine its
direction and actions. At this point the group moves into the second phase. The second phase is a period of
high-productivity equilibrium. After having “gotten serious” at the transition time; the group now is on the
“right track” and completes their assigned task by increasing activity until their final meeting.
I have seen this in a Software Engineering course that I took at iiT. My group had a task laid out in front of
us, and we did not “get busy” until the second half of our allotted time to complete, no one took the
deadline seriously. With our deadline looming, the last few nights were furious all-nighters to complete the
product for delivery. But we did change ideas and tasks midway through the process to a less ambitious
product that was deliverable.
The Tuckman model consists of Five Stages.
The Forming period is a time when members are deciding what membership in a particular group means.
The definitions of membership are solidified.
The Storming period determines who is in charge of a group. Claims are staked out, individual sacrifices
are made to the benefit of the group as a whole, intragroup conflicts are resolved.
The Norming period is a time after the battles of the storming period where members determine their tasks.
This period may be summed up by saying the stage is set, but the actors are still learning their roles.
Cohesiveness increases.
The Performing period is the time of high productivity for the group. Coping with the novelty of the group
is no longer a concern; roles are defined and learned. At this point the group is doing what it is meant to do.
The Adjourning period is when groups start to wrap up their tasks and clean up loose ends so that they can
consider their tasks complete.
I have seen the Tuckman model in the workplace with my team of System Administrators. We are currently
somewhere at the Norming to Performing stage. During the Forming stage, the leader enlisted his team.
During the storming period, we determined if subgroups or cliques would exist, and individuals let it be
known what they were not willing to do, as well at this time, their motivations were made known to our
leader. Now that we know our responsibilities, we are primarily concerned with learning to perform them
efficiently. But I say that we are between the Performing and Norming phases because some of our tasks
and roles we are proficient at, but some are still being learned and juggled between group members. The
Adjourning phase will hopefully occur sometime in the distant future as our services become unneeded.