It's difficult for people to maintain objectivity towards themselves and their children. There isn't much difference when it comes to teams either. Familiarity and a sense of belonging between a leader and team members, as well as among team members themselves, lead to subjective attitudes. Consequently, our objective perception of our own and the team's results diminishes.
This explains why 40% of teams believe they are performing with high efficiency, meaning they are in the Performing stage.
At the same time, 35% of leaders believe their team is in the performance phase [in my small survey, this figure reached 60%].
In reality, according to a study conducted by MIT Sloan School of Management, only 25% of teams are in the performance or high-performance stage.
According to a study conducted by the Corporate Leadership Council (CLC), this figure is even lower, at only 10-15%.
Phases of Team Development
One of the most common and recognised models for determining the phases of team development is Bruce Tuckman's 5-stage model: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning.
Let's take a detailed look at these phases and how a team leader can identify and manage them.
A small digression: The same phases are found in families or friendships. Any relationship between two or more people goes through these stages. Here too, even more than in business, it is important to reach the high-performance or successful cohabitation stage as quickly as possible.
Forming
Team Characteristics
In the Forming phase, team members do not yet know each other well, and their roles may be unclear. This stage is often characterized by:
High levels of motivation and enthusiasm
Uncertainty and anxiety
Superficial communication among team members, with an avoidance of conflict
A common thought in the team is: "How can I prove my capabilities to others?"
Leader's Role
In this phase, the leader must have a clear vision and goals and effectively communicate these to the team members. It is important to create a safe and supportive environment where team members can get to know each other and showcase their skills.
During the Forming phase, the leader should:
Define and communicate each team member's roles and responsibilities
Emphasize the importance of open communication
Lay the foundation for the team's future development
Storming
Team Characteristics
In the Storming phase, team members begin to reveal personal differences and incompatibilities. It is common to see arguments as individuals try to assert their positions or prove their superiority.
For both the team and the leader, this is the most challenging and difficult phase, where team members may lose motivation and enthusiasm. During this time, it is common to see:
Disagreements
Questioning of each other's competence
Attempts to seize power or form subgroups
A common thought in the team is: "I must prove my capabilities to others!"
Leader's Role
In this phase, the leader needs to manage conflicts effectively and facilitate the communication process. It is crucial that the leader:
Clearly establishes ground rules
Allows team members to freely express their opinions and feelings
Encourages a culture of listening and respect among team members
Provides timely and valuable feedback to each team member
Shifts the team's focus from arguments to achieving common goals
Norming
Team Characteristics
In the Norming phase, team members begin to overcome conflicts, and unity starts to form. Roles and responsibilities become clearer, and team members begin to trust each other more.
Communication becomes deeper and more constructive, while collaboration and support increase.
A common thought in the team is: "I have unique skills and abilities, but so do my teammates."
Leader's Role
In this phase, the leader's goal is to strengthen team collaboration and implement more structured, transparent processes to align expectations. The leader should aim to:
Stabilize the team's morale, ensuring members feel secure in their roles and can take both team and personal responsibilities
Maintain the team's motivation to continue achieving common goals
Recognize and appreciate the team's progress and achievements
Support the professional growth and development of team members
Foster a culture where everyone feels valued
Performing
Team Characteristics
In the Performing phase, the team is functioning well, achieving high levels of productivity, and successfully reaching its goals. Team members work effectively both individually and collaboratively, making decisions and supporting each other. At this stage, the team is highly self-organized, motivated, and independent.
A common thought in the team is: "We balance each other with our skills and together create new opportunities."
Leader's Role
At this stage, the leader should strive to maintain the team's high performance level and work even more on their motivation and satisfaction to avoid the risk of stagnation. The leader should support team members in:
Independence and professional development
Engaging in additional meaningful activities, such as mentoring less experienced team members
Deepening their domain knowledge and working on interesting side projects
Reviewing and improving the work done in previous stages
Adjourning
Team Characteristics
The Adjourning phase is marked by the completion of the team's project or work and the transition of team members to other projects. During this phase, team members may experience feelings such as loss or dissatisfaction if goals were not achieved, or regret and sadness if the team worked well together and achieved planned outcomes.
Leader's Role
In this phase, the leader needs to celebrate the team's successes and acknowledge each member's contributions. It is important to encourage team members to engage in new projects while maintaining relationships outside the work environment.
It should also be noted that the Adjourning phase marks the beginning of new opportunities, and the leader should motivate team members to successfully tackle new challenges.
Conclusion
Correctly identifying and managing the phases of team development is one of the most important tasks for a leader. Proper management of each phase allows the team to become stronger, more productive, and more effective.
Finally, leaders who care about their people will inevitably achieve great results. Therefore:
Leave People Better Than You Found Them
This approach has never let me down.
If you need support in increasing the efficiency and performance of your team, look through our service: Performance Management
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