Four stages of group development

When several people come together to work on a single initiative or project, they are not necessarily a productive team. Before a group of people can function together, they must pass through a four stages of group development (Tuckman, 1965):

1. Forming

• Group is not yet a group, but a set of individuals
• Individuals want to establish personal identity within the group and make an impression
• Participation is limited as individuals get familiar with the setting, the trainer and each other
• Individuals begin to focus on task at hand and discuss its purpose
• The group is essentially evolving ground rules on which future decisions and actions will be based

2. Storming

• Characterized by intra-group conflict and lack of unity
• This stage commonly begins on the 2-3 day of a training programme
• Preliminary ground rules on purpose, leadership and behavior are damaged
• Individuals can become hostile towards each other, and express their individuality by pursuing or revealing personal agendas
• Friction increases, rules are broken, arguments can happen
• But, if successfully handled, this stage leads to new and more realistic setting of objectives, procedures and norms

3. Norming

• Characterized by overcoming tensions and by developing group cohesion in which norms and practices are established
• Group members accept the group and each other’s behavior peculiar to an individual
• Group allegiance develops and group strives to maintain it
• Development of group spirit, harmony become important

4. Performing

• Characterized by full maturity and maximum productivity
• Can only be reached by successfully completing previous three stages
• Members take on roles to fulfil the group activities since they have now learnt to relate to one another
• Roles become flexible and functional
• Group energy channeled into identified tasks
• New insights and solutions begin to emerge