Groups and Individuals
Tuckman (1965) identified four stages of group development, adding a fifth stage in his later writings ten years later.
Stage 1: Forming
In the Forming stage, personal relations are characterised by dependence. Group members rely on safe, patterned behavior and look to the group leader for guidance and direction. Group members have a desire for acceptance by the group and a need to know that the group is safe. Serious topics and feelings are avoided.
To grow from this stage to the next, each member must relinquish the comfort of non-threatening topics and risk the possibility of conflict.
Stage 2: Storming
The next stage, Storming, is characterised by competition and conflict in the personal-relations dimension an organisation in the task-functions dimension. As the group members attempt to organise for the task, conflict inevitably affects personal relations. Individuals have to bend and mold their feelings, ideas, attitudes, and beliefs to suit the group organisation These reflect conflicts over leadership, structure, power, and authority.
To progress to the next stage, group members must move to a problem-solving mentality. The most important trait in helping groups to move on to the next stage seems to be the ability to listen.
Stage 3: Norming
In the Norming stage, interpersonal relations are characterised by cohesion. Group members are engaged in active acknowledgment of all members' contributions, community building and maintenance, and solving of group issues. It is during this stage of development (assuming the group gets this far) that people begin to experience a sense of group belonging and a feeling of relief as a result of resolving interpersonal conflicts.
The major task function of stage three is the data flow between group members: They share feelings and ideas, solicit and give feedback to one another, and explore actions related to the task. The major drawback of the norming stage is that members may begin to fear the inevitable future breakup of the group; they may resist change of any sort.
Stage 4: Performing
ThePerformingstage is not reached by all groups. If group members are able to evolve to stage four, their capacity, range, and depth of personal relations expand to true interdependence. In this stage, people can work independently, in subgroups, or as a total unit with equal facility. There is support for experimentation in solving problems and an emphasis on achievement. The overall goal is productivity through problem solving and work.
Stage 5: Adjourning
Tuckman's final stage, Adjourning, involves the termination of task behaviors and disengagement from relationships. A planned conclusion usually includes recognition for participation and achievement and an opportunity for members to say personal goodbyes
Tuckman's original work simply described the way he had observed groups, whether they were conscious of it or not. Later work (Tuckman and Jensen 1977) acknowledged that the real value is in recognising where a group is in the process, and helping it to move to the Perform stage. In the real world, groups are often forming and changing, and each time that happens, they can move to a different stage. A group might be happily Norming or Performing, but a new member might force them back into Storming. Leaders will be ready for this, and will help the group get back to Performing as quickly as possible.
