Stage of team development – the Tuckman Model
In 1965 Dr Bruce Tuckman8 first published his model of how teams develop and behave over
time. This elegant and helpful explanation illustrates how a team develops maturity and
ability and how relationships develop requiring different management styles at different times.
It also allows you to determine what stage your team is currently at, therefore how they can
best be managed towards the highest level of Performing. Tuckman describes how a team
moves, over time, through the phases of:
Forming > Storming > Norming > Performing
He later added a fifth phase called Adjourning, sometimes referred to as Mourning.
Stage 1 - Forming
With the nickname “Ritual Sniffing” this early phase in a team’s lifecycle is about getting to
know each other. People tend to be polite and more reserved whilst individual roles and
responsibilities are unclear. They rely on a leader for guidance and direction as there may be
little agreement on team aims other than those given to them. Processes may be nonexistent or ignored. Team members test the tolerance of the system and the leader.
Stage 2 - Storming
After a period of time teams develop a self confidence and barriers come down allowing
individuals to vie for position as they attempt to establish themselves in relation to each other
and the leader. Decisions don’t come easily and may be argumentative as cliques and
factions occur and there may be power struggles. Clarity of purpose increases but
uncertainties may still exist.
Stage 3 - Norming
Having worked through Storming the team is now ready for agreement and consensus.
Roles and responsibilities are now clear and accepted and big decisions can be taken by the
group as a whole. Smaller decisions can even be delegated to individuals or sub-teams with
respect, confidence and trust. Commitment and unity are strong and the team may
spontaneously engage in fun activities. The team discusses and agrees on its processes and
working style.
Stage 4 - Performing
In this final stage the team becomes more strategically aware, they know what they are doing
and why. With a shared vision they are able to stand on their own feet with little interference
or direction from the leader. The focus becomes one of over-achieving goals, challenging
and continuously improving their own working practices. Disagreements are handled
internally with the team members looking after each other as well as the task.
Teamwork Questionnaire – What Stage Is Your Team In?
Directions - This questionnaire contains statements about teamwork. Next to each question
indicate how rarely or often your team displays each behaviour by using the following scoring
system:





Almost never - 1
Seldom - 2
Occasionally - 3
Frequently - 4
Almost always – 5
1. We try to have set procedures or protocols to ensure that things are orderly and run
smoothly (i.e. minimise interruptions; everyone gets the opportunity to have their say).
2. We are quick to get on with the task in hand and do not spend too much time in the
planning stage.
3. Our team feels that we are all in it together and shares responsibility for the team's
success or failure.
4. We have thorough procedures for agreeing on our objectives and planning the way we
will perform our tasks.
5. Team members are afraid to ask others for help.
6. We take our team's goals and objectives literally, and assume a shared understanding.
7. The team leader tries to keep order and contributes to the task at hand.
8. We do not have fixed procedures; we make them up as the task or project progresses.
9. We generate lots of ideas, but we do not use many because we fail to listen to them and
reject them without fully understanding them.
10. Team members do not fully trust the others members and closely monitor others who are
working on a specific task.
11. The team leader ensures that we follow the procedures, do not argue, do not interrupt,
and keep to the point.
12. We enjoy working together; we have a fun and productive time.
13. We have accepted each other as members of the team.
14. The team leader is democratic and collaborative.
15. We are trying to define the goal and what tasks need to be accomplished.
16. Many of the team members have their own ideas about the process and personal
agendas are rampant.
17. We fully accept each other's strengths and weaknesses.
18. We assign specific roles to team members (team leader, facilitator, time keeper, note
taker, etc.).
19. We try to achieve harmony by avoiding conflict.
20. The tasks are very different from what we imagined and seem very difficult to
accomplish.
21. There are many abstract discussions of the concepts and issues, some members are
impatient with these discussions.
22. We are able to work through group problems.
23. We argue a lot even though we agree on the real issues.
24. The team is often tempted to go above the original scope of the project.
25. We express criticism of others constructively.
26. There is a close attachment to the team.
27. It seems as if little is being accomplished with the project's goals.
28. The goals we have established seem unrealistic.
29. Although we are not fully sure of the project's goals and issues, we are excited and proud
to be on the team.
30. We often share personal problems with each other.
31. There is a lot of resisting of the tasks on hand and quality improvement approaches.
32. We get a lot of work done.
Teamwork Questionnaire – Results
Mark the score of each item on the questionnaire. When you have entered all the scores for
each question, total each of the four columns.
Item
Score
Item
Score
Item
Score
Item
Score
1. _______
2. _______
4. _______
3. _______
5. _______
7. _______
6. _______
8. _______
10. _______
9. _______
11. _______
12. _______
15. _______
16. _______
13. _______
14. _______
18. _______
20. _______
19. _______
17. _______
21. _______
23. _______
24. _______
22. _______
27. _______
28. _______
25. _______
26. _______
29. _______
31. _______
30. _______
32. _______
TOTAL _____
TOTAL _____
TOTAL _____
TOTAL _____
Forming
Stage
Storming
Stage
Norming
Stage
Performing
Stage
This questionnaire is to help you assess what stage your team normally operates. The
highest of the four scores indicates which stage you perceive your team to operate in. If your
highest score is 32 or more, it is a strong indicator of the stage your team is in.
The lowest of the three scores is an indicator of the stage your team is least like. If your
lowest score is 16 or less, it is a strong indicator that your team does not operate this way.
If two of the scores are close you are probably going through a transition phase, except:


If you score high in both the Forming and Storming Phases, then you are in the
Storming Phase
If you score high in both the Norming and Performing Phases, then you are in the
Performing Stage.
Your role at each stage
Regardless as to your role in the team the most valuable part you can play is to recognise at
which stage the team is at and then provide the appropriate leadership or management.
Helping a Forming Team
The manager, team leader, consultant provides clear direction, telling people what is
expected of them and how they need to do it. The leader must be prepared to answer lots of
questions about the team’s purpose, objectives and external relationships. Patience is
required as people work through their confusion or misunderstanding. Communication is vital
as is structured time dedicated to getting to know each other. This will accelerate the team
into the Storming phase.
Helping a Storming Team
The leader needs to focus the team on its goals and processes to avoid it becoming
distracted by relationships and emotional issues. Compromises and consensus may be
required to enable progress as does a skill in handling conflict constructively and assertively.
The leader moves into more of a coaching role which is less likely to create antagonism and
starts to develop a self reliance within the team. This will accelerate the team into the
Norming phase.
Helping a Norming Team
Facilitation is the style for managing a Norming team with respect being shown by the leader
and the members. By facilitating and enabling the manager allows the group to take on more
responsibility and make their own decisions, stepping in only rarely if the situation absolutely
requires it. The leader wants to ensure that the Purpose remains clear so that they can
challenge the team, should they become complacent, so as to accelerate them into the
Performing phase.
Helping a Performing Team
A leader delegates and oversees a performing team, resisting the urge to instruct or assist
when not required. They continue to be invaluable as a source of advice for personal and
interpersonal development as well as for reward and recognition. Also they need to keep
close to the team because as personnel or organisational change inevitably occurs the team
will start Mourning before the cycle starts again.