Bruce Tuckman's Five Stages Of An Effective Team

People who work together are often viewed as a team, but that is often not the case. Characteristics of a work group comprise a linear decision making, individual goals, task oriented competencies, and low interdependence. Conversely, teams should possess a singular vision, that members work to achieve. Teams consist of at least two members who feel accountable for the whole and cooperative result rather than individual contributions.

A team that is effective tries to achieve synergy, growth, looks at the long run and short, establish positive internal relationships, encourages productive communication and criticisms, uses the unique characteristics of diversity. Looking past the work environment, effective teamwork shown in varying ways,

Developed by psychologist Bruce Tuckman, the process consists of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. The forming stage is the initial stage member's meet and learn about each other. Teams will be experiencing anxiety, excitement, skepticism as well as learning what the team’s goal or objectives are. Sometime team leaders will emerge during this process.

Go Pro is a good example of a company using the forming stage. Go Pro keeps an open culture, which fosters ideas and opinions, this allows team members to share their ideas and become comfortable around their teammates. Additionally, they hold frequent meeting to share the companies’ goals and vision and they have daily breaks that encourages people to take their Go Pro’s with them. This allows people to become comfortable with each other, build relationships and share their strengths and

The first stage of forming is when everyone is getting to know each other. There can be a lot of anxiety and uneasiness as everyone learns what the team’s goals are. The second stage is storming in this stage limits are tested, expanded, and examined. It is common for individual to struggle with each other for positions or leadership. Moreover, two forms of conflict happen at this stage is, which are functional and dysfunctional. The next stage is norming in this stage roles are set and the team know what goal it wants to achieve. It is common for groups not to get out of the storming or norming stage. Moreover, since teams can change over time it is even possible for the team to regress to the storming stage after achieving the norming stage The next stage is performing in this stage all the team members a knew their roles and they perform in a synergistic cohesive unit. The last stage is adjourning in this stage the team is disbanded. It is important that the manager has a celebration for the team and gives them critiques on what each member did well and poorly