When a team is first formed the work

You can't just switch on teamwork. It takes time for a new team to "gel" and work to its full potential. What's more, team members go through stages as they move from strangers to co-workers.

Bruce Tuckman's Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing model describes these stages. When you understand Tuckman's model, you'll know how to help your new team to become effective – faster. Let's look at how.

Click here to view a transcript of this video.

Where Does Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing Come From?

Psychologist Bruce Tuckman came up with the memorable phrase "forming, storming, norming, and performing" in his 1965 paper, "Developmental Sequence in Small Groups." [1] It describes the path that teams follow on their way to high performance. Later, he added a fifth stage, "adjourning" (also known as "mourning") to mark the end of a team's journey.

What Happens at Tuckman's Forming Stage?

In the beginning, when a new team forms, individuals will be unsure of the team's purpose, how they fit in, and whether they'll work well with one another. They may be anxious, curious, or excited to get going. However they feel, they'll be looking to the team leader for direction.

This may take some time, as people get to know their new colleagues and one another's ways of working.

What Did Tuckman Mean by Storming?

In the storming stage, people start to push against the established boundaries. Conflict or friction can also arise between team members as their true characters – and their preferred ways of working – surface and clash with other people's.

At this stage team members may challenge your authority or management style, or even the team's mission. Left unchecked, this can lead to face-to-face confrontations or simmering online tensions.

If roles and responsibilities aren't yet clear, individuals might begin to feel overwhelmed by their workload or frustrated at a lack of progress.

How Do I Recognize the Norming Stage?

Gradually, the team moves into the norming stage. People start to resolve their differences, appreciate one another's strengths, and respect your authority as a leader.

Now that they know one another better, your team members will feel more comfortable asking for help and offering constructive feedback. They'll share a stronger commitment to the team's goals, and they should make good progress toward it.

What Does the Performing Stage Look Like?

Now your team is in flow and performing to its full potential. With hard work and structured processes, the team is likely to achieve its goals efficiently.

Judith Stein, from MIT's HR department, says of this stage, "Roles on the team may have become more fluid, with members taking on various roles and responsibilities as needed. Differences among members are appreciated and used to enhance the team's performance." [2]

What About Tuckman's Adjourning (or Mourning) Stage?

Many teams reach this stage naturally. For example, projects come to an end, or permanent teams are disbanded and people redeployed.

People who like routine, or who have developed close working relationships with colleagues, may find this time difficult.

Using the Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing Tool

Follow the steps below to ensure that you're doing the right thing at the right time:

1. Identify the stage that your team is at from the descriptions above.
2. Consider what you need to do to move on to the next stage.
3. Schedule regular reviews of where your team is at, and adjust your behavior and leadership approach accordingly.

Tuckman's model isn't a one-way street – teams may go back and forth between stages. When you hit the performing stage, keep observing your team's progress in case it slips back. For example, a new team member can disrupt the group dynamic, or a new business direction might mean you have to reevaluate your team roles and goals.

Leading Through the Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing Stages

Business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs are often viewed as team leaders. If something fails, you may blame yourself. If it succeeds, you'll receive the praise.

Whether you are leading your entire company or a smaller project group, you have a huge influence on team development and performance. It's almost like being Captain America to The Avengers or Steve Jobs to Apple. Of course, those are some big shoes to fill.

You don't have to gain superpowers from a serum or create one of the most iconic brands of your generation to be a great leader.

Guide your team through each stage of the process with the following tips:

1. Set a clear purpose and mission and revisit it throughout the process.

Why does your team or company exist? What values matter to you? What problem will you solve? Why do you need to solve it?

All these questions should be answered with a clear purpose and mission statement. It is the framework that will help you make decisions. It gives you direction. Without it, you'll go nowhere.

People get so lost in a specific task that they forget why they are doing it in the first place. It is easy to lose sight of the "big picture". Teams need a clear purpose and mission and should be reminded of them often.

2. Set ground rules and make sure they are followed.

Rules may not sound fun, but they clear up confusion. Without them, no one will know what is considered acceptable behavior. Everyone will have their own "style" of doing things. Groups without rules are disjointed, prone to conflict and inefficient.

One of the first tasks that teams should do is establish ground rules. These can cover how to interact in the group to how to complete tasks efficiently. Some examples are:

• Don't interrupt another member when they are speaking.
• Turn off your phone during working meetings.
• Track your time transparently with Toggl Track.
• Create a weekly work plan with tasks and share it with the team.

Remember that rules are created to help your team stay focused on what matters most─performance.

3. Let other members act as leaders or facilitators.

Every team should have a facilitator─a person who leads and guides meetings and discussions. Someone who drives the group towards a common goal.

As a company founder or manager, you may be the designated team leader. But, that doesn't mean you should always be the one leading.

Leading a team is tiring. Try to do it all on your own and you'll burn out fast.

Sometimes, there may even be another member of the group more qualified to lead a discussion than you. If you are discussing the security of a mobile app you are building, the best facilitator could be the cyber security expert on your team?

High-functioning teams work so well together that facilitator roles can rotate without impacting their performance.

4. Don't try to avoid conflict. It is normal and can be healthy.

If everyone in your group thinks and acts the same, then why do you have a group? The benefit of working in a team is that you have access to diverse experiences, skills, and opinions that aren't possible alone.

When members disagree about something, listen to each side. But, don't take one. Search for common ground. For example, each person wants to reach the end goal.

When conflicts are resolved, it can improve existing processes and bond members together.

5. Remind group members to listen.

Each person in your group holds some value, otherwise they wouldn't be there, right? Remind your team to listen to each person's insight.

Early on, create an environment that is open and non-judgmental. Hold brainstorming sessions. Write down every idea that is offered, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. Some of the greatest entrepreneurs and inventors have had failed companies and ill-conceived ideas.

For every brilliant idea, there are 100 terrible ones. Encouraging your team to share their ideas and opinions is the key to finding the "big ideas".

6. End each meeting with insightful and constructive feedback that improves the group process.

When you lead a group, part of your responsibility is to observe. Study how the team functions as a unit and individually.

What are they doing well? What do they need to improve? Give individual feedback in one-on-one meetings. But, you can point out areas of improvement or strengths to the group as a whole, without pointing fingers.

Don't scold teams for their mistakes and failures, without showing them what went wrong. Don't point out problems without offering solutions and advice.

It is important to give criticism in a way that empowers them to do better.

Nobody likes a Negative Nancy or Debbie Downer either. Tell teams what they are doing right as well as what they need to improve.

As a leader, don't think that you are flawless though. Give and ask for feedback from your team. That could mean sending out a weekly or monthly anonymous survey.

2. Close your speech in a memorable way: compliment your audience, deliver a punchline or share a shocking information or quote that suggests urgency.

7. To progress, everyone must contribute and participate.

The point of having a team is to work together. Each person plays a part and has something to contribute. When one person fails to complete a task, the rest of the group suffers.

It is important to instill this sense of responsibility in a group. But, you may still need to remind and motivate members to be productive.

This is another area where time tracking can help. With Toggl Track, team members can track the work that they do. This is especially useful if you have some people that are working remotely.

Even if your group has two or three leaders, you can't always monitor your team. You can't look over their shoulders and make sure that everyone is doing their work. Ideally, your team is made up of reliable people that know and fulfill their responsibilities.

There are other advantages to tracking your time with an app though. When you know how long a process takes, you can identify areas that could be made more efficient. Then, develop more productive habits. It can also help you predict how much additional time your group might need to complete the current project.

If powerful superhero and entrepreneur teams have taught us anything, it is that working with others can increase your strength and success. Some projects you just can't tackle alone.

Building a team isn't easy. It is a process. Knowing each stage of development can help you create all-star teams that deliver amazing results.