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Understanding the Stages of Team Development

Five stages of team development

As a new team leader, understanding the stages of team development is essential to successfully guiding your team through its growth and challenges. These stages lay the foundation for team dynamics and influence how effectively your team collaborates and performs. By recognizing these stages, you can better support your team, address any issues that arise, and encourage growth at every level.

In this detailed guide, we will walk you through the five stages of team development, helping you understand what to expect as your team progresses. Plus, we’ll explain how using tools like HubEngage can help you make the most of these stages and create a thriving, high-performing team.

5 stages of team development

1. Forming: The Beginning of Team Development

The first stage of team development is forming. During this stage, team members are just getting to know one another. There’s often excitement and anticipation, but there may also be uncertainty and hesitancy about the tasks ahead.

In the forming stage, team members are typically polite and reserved as they learn about their roles, team objectives, and the expectations from the leader. As a new team leader, your role during this stage is to provide clear guidance, set expectations, and encourage open communication.

The first step in building a great team is laying down a solid foundation of trust and communication.

You might find that during this stage, team members focus more on socializing and less on the actual work. It’s essential to introduce processes that will help the team get comfortable and quickly transition to the next stage.

Scenario #1: Navigating Uncertainty

The newly formed team gathers for its first meeting. Everyone introduces themselves but there’s an underlying sense of uncertainty about the tasks ahead. Members try to understand the team’s mission, and there’s a mix of excitement and nervousness in the air. Some people are trying to figure out their role, while others are taking a more passive approach, waiting for someone else to take charge. As the team leader, you will spend time clarifying the team’s purpose and goals, while encouraging everyone to speak up and share their thoughts, even though the atmosphere is still uncertain.

Scenario #2: Establishing Comfort Zones

In another newly formed team, everyone is initially quiet, and only a few people seem confident in contributing. Team members begin to avoid confrontation and are focused on appearing agreeable. Some might even hide their true thoughts or opinions to avoid rocking the boat. As a leader, you’ll focus on creating an environment of trust where people feel comfortable contributing, offering clear communication on team objectives and setting expectations for the group.

How HubEngage Can Help: With HubEngage, you can easily set up onboarding programs and introduce team-building activities that help team members familiarize themselves with one another and the company culture. HubEngage’s employee engagement tools can foster early connections and set the tone for future collaboration.

2. Storming: Overcoming Early Challenges

The second stage of team development is storming. As the team starts to work together more closely, conflicts may arise. Team members are starting to voice their opinions, and different working styles or approaches can lead to disagreements.

At this point, you may notice some tension as people try to establish their positions within the team. Storming is a crucial stage, as it can reveal underlying issues, but it also provides an opportunity for growth. The team needs to work through these challenges before they can become a cohesive unit.

Conflict is inevitable, but how we manage it can make all the difference.

Your role as a team leader during this stage is to facilitate healthy conflict resolution, promote effective communication, and guide the team toward finding common ground. This stage can be uncomfortable, but it is essential for growth.

Scenario #1: Dealing with Differences

In the storming phase, team members have started to challenge each other’s opinions, which leads to some heated discussions. There’s a visible divide between those who prefer a structured approach to tasks and those who advocate for flexibility and spontaneity. A few team members are starting to question the chosen direction, while others feel frustrated that they’re not being heard. As the leader, you step in to mediate, addressing the concerns with calmness and helping the team find common ground without disregarding differing viewpoints.

Scenario #2: Resolving Power Struggles

Another team in the storming phase is dealing with power struggles. One team member, who was a dominant figure in a previous team, tries to take control, while another member believes they should be in charge due to their expertise in the subject matter. This creates tension, and the team is beginning to show signs of frustration and disengagement. As the leader, you handle this by having one-on-one conversations with the involved parties and encouraging open dialogue to resolve misunderstandings, reinforcing the value of each member’s contributions.

How HubEngage Can Help: HubEngage’s feedback and communication tools allow for anonymous feedback and open dialogue, creating a safe environment for team members to express their concerns. Surveys and pulse checks can help identify and address any issues before they escalate.

3. Norming: Establishing Team Cohesion

Once the storming stage has passed, the team enters the norming phase. This is when team members start to work more effectively together. There is a sense of unity as roles are clarified, and team members develop stronger relationships. Trust begins to grow, and the team becomes more comfortable with each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

The focus during this stage is on collaboration, support, and mutual respect. The team starts to work more cohesively, and the leader’s role becomes more about providing guidance and motivation rather than micromanaging.

A united team is unstoppable. When each member supports the others, great things can happen.

As the team becomes more unified, they will be better equipped to handle challenges and focus on achieving their goals.

Scenario #1: Strengthening Collaboration

By the time the team reaches the norming stage, they begin to collaborate more effectively. Team members are now actively sharing responsibilities and trusting each other’s abilities. One member notices that another is struggling with a specific task and offers to help. This collaborative spirit spreads, and the team begins to create its own set of norms around how to approach challenges and make decisions. As the leader, you observe how team members are communicating more openly and give positive reinforcement to solidify the growing sense of unity.

Scenario #2: Establishing Communication Norms

Another team in the norming phase has begun to establish its way of working together, but some members still prefer to work in isolation on certain tasks. However, they’re beginning to make an effort to check in with one another, share updates, and ask for feedback. The group has a shared understanding of the goals, and there’s a renewed sense of accountability. As the leader, you encourage this positive behavior by scheduling regular catch-up sessions and using team-building activities to help solidify these bonds further.

How HubEngage Can Help: HubEngage can help streamline communication and create a positive work culture by fostering an environment of recognition. The platform’s performance management tools allow for regular feedback, which is essential for helping team members understand how they are contributing to the team’s success.

4. Performing: The Team at Its Best

The performing stage is where the team reaches its full potential. In this phase, the team is working at a high level of efficiency. Roles are well-established, and team members understand how to collaborate to achieve common goals.

At this stage, the team has established effective ways of working and is focused on achieving results. The challenges of the earlier stages have been overcome, and the team is now able to solve problems and complete tasks independently. The leader’s role is less about directing and more about providing support when necessary.

A high-performing team is one that can collaborate and innovate without the constant need for direction.

Scenario #1: Operating at Full Potential

In the performing phase, the team is operating at a high level of efficiency. Team members understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses and are now focused on achieving their collective goals. They come together to brainstorm solutions, delegate tasks effectively, and hold each other accountable. At this point, there’s a strong sense of autonomy in the team, but you, as the leader, continue to provide strategic oversight and guidance, ensuring they stay on track toward the bigger vision.

Scenario #2: High-Level Efficiency

A different team in the performing stage has reached a point where everyone feels completely aligned with the team’s purpose and each member is delivering high-quality results consistently. Team members work efficiently on their individual tasks and offer support to one another without needing to be asked. The team organizes itself well and begins to take on more complex projects. As the leader, you help streamline processes further, removing any obstacles and ensuring that team morale stays high as they continue to perform exceptionally well.

How HubEngage Can Help: HubEngage’s goal-setting tools allow you to set clear objectives and track progress. Recognizing achievements, setting personal development goals, and conducting team surveys can help maintain high levels of engagement and performance.

5. Adjourning: Moving Onward

The adjourning stage is the final phase of team development, where the team prepares to disband or move on to a new project. This stage may be less familiar to many, but it is an essential part of the team lifecycle.

During this stage, team members reflect on their achievements and the relationships they’ve built. It can be an emotional time, especially if the team has worked together for a long period. As the team leader, your role is to ensure a smooth transition, celebrate successes, and encourage the team to take what they’ve learned into future projects.

The end of one chapter is the beginning of another.

This stage is crucial for giving closure to the team’s journey and setting the tone for future success.

Scenario #1: Wrapping Up with Reflection

As the team wraps up its project, emotions are mixed in the adjourning phase. Team members feel a sense of accomplishment but also sadness about the project’s conclusion, as they’ve bonded closely over the course of their work. Some members reflect on the progress made, and others discuss future opportunities to collaborate. As a leader, you take this time to recognize the achievements of the team, share feedback, and allow everyone to express their feelings about the end of the project. This creates a sense of closure and acknowledgment of the journey they’ve been on together.

Scenario #2: Celebrating Accomplishments and Closure

In another team nearing the adjourning phase, the final deliverables are being handed over to the client, and the team begins to wrap up its responsibilities. Despite the project’s completion, there’s a feeling of unfinished business, as some members wonder if there will be more work ahead or if the team will disband. The leader facilitates a retrospective meeting, discussing what went well and what the team could have done differently, while also celebrating each individual’s contributions. This helps provide closure while reinforcing the team’s sense of pride in their accomplishments.

How HubEngage Can Help: HubEngage’s recognition and milestone tracking features allow you to celebrate the team’s achievements at the conclusion of a project. This helps maintain a positive atmosphere and motivates the team for future challenges.

How HubEngage Makes a Difference in Team Development

HubEngage offers a comprehensive solution for team leaders who want to navigate the stages of team development effectively. By providing tools that promote communication, feedback, recognition, and goal setting, HubEngage ensures that each stage of the process is as smooth as possible. Whether you’re helping your team get through the storming phase or maximizing their performance during performing, HubEngage’s features are designed to support team development at every step.

Key Benefits of Using HubEngage:

  1. Improved Communication: HubEngage helps maintain open communication through surveys, pulse checks, and feedback tools, essential during the storming and norming stages.
  2. Team Recognition: Celebrate milestones and achievements, which can improve morale and motivation during the performing and adjourning stages.
  3. Goal Setting and Tracking: Align individual and team goals with company objectives to ensure consistent progress during the performing stage.

With HubEngage, you can help your team achieve success while navigating the challenges of each stage. By using the right tools and creating a positive, supportive environment, you’ll ensure that your team reaches its full potential.

Summing up, understanding the stages of team development is vital for any new team leader. By being aware of these stages, you can anticipate challenges, provide the necessary support, and encourage growth. HubEngage is the ideal platform to help you manage this process and make your team a success. Get the demo now.

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