Dr Bruce Tuckman published the Forming Storming Norming Performing model in 1965. Tuckman added a fifth stage, Adjourning, in the 1970s.
The group dynamics theory is an simple and helpful explanation of team development and behaviour. Similarities can be seen with other models, such as Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum and Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership® model, developed about the same time.
Tuckman’s model explains that as a team develops maturity and ability, relationships are established and the team leader changes leadership style. Consider this appropariate to ‘Situational Leadership’.
Tuckman argued that all the phases are necessary and inevitable in order to grow a team and achieve goals, solve problems, find solutions, plan work, and deliver.
Take the time out to familiarize yourself with Tuckman’s work it provides interesting insights into how you may need to change your leadership style according to how you understand your team to have evolved and how it is transforming.
Even established mature teams periodically go through these cycles so it will serve you well to understand where they are at.
Be aware that Tuckman’s group formation theory is conceptually very popular in all sizes of organization.
It is useful especially for managers taking over a new team or for managers keen to overcome poor team performance.
The first step for you as a manager is to identify the stage the team is at, so that you can formulate a plan to move the team onto the next stage. As your team progresses through each stage your involvement reduces.
At the forming stage your team requires lots of direction and instructions from you as their manager, a performing team will only need management support on the rare occasion to clear blockages or organizational obstructions that impair performance.
