Side note: Is there anything more delicious than this?

Craving ugali, nyama choma and ugali? We don’t blame you.

Is there a more perfect match than ugali (African cake made of water and maize flour), nyama choma (roast meat) and kachumbari (salsa)? Only Kenyans or anyone who has visited Kenya will understand this.

Ugali is plain in taste, nyama choma is oily, tender and savory, and kachumbari is tangy and cuts through the oiliness of the nyama choma and provides a freshness that is lacking in the other two elements of this Kenyan classic.

Ok, enough about nyama choma. What we’re trying to say is, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as working in a team rich in synergy.

We’re not saying all teams should be exactly like ugali, nyama choma and ugali. We’re just saying that it would be great if they did.

How Do I Get My Team to be the Dream Team?

Great teams don’t just happen. They take time and effort. No matter how aligned the goals of each of team members are, most teams have to go through the stages that Bruce Tuckman brilliantly highlighted in his 1965 journal article, Developmental Sequence in Small Groups.

It is important that a leader properly identifies each stage in order to apply effective leadership strategies for each. In this article we expound on the five stages of a group’s formation and development and give you proven tips on what the group should expect, and what leaders should do to ensure optimal performance.

5 Stages of Team/Group Development

Forming

Think of this stage like the first few years of your baby’s life. Things are not perfect, you’re still learning how to be a parent, and they are adjusting to life outside the womb. The first few months are hard, but you survive. You still think she’s adorable even though you know what’s hiding in her diaper.

During the formation stage, several things happen. Team members start to identify what they can and cannot do within the context of the group. Often, they mimic the behavior of strongest member or leader of the group. There is a general sense of orientation in relation to interpersonal interaction as well as tasks. Basically, everyone is getting accustomed to their role in the team and learning how to do things.

As a leader, should be very involved with their team at this point and lead by example. It is your job to identify the role and responsibilities of each team member.

Storming

Your precious baby girl is a now a teenager with raging hormones and a bad attitude. She thinks she knows everything, is constantly questioning your authority and wants to live like she pays her own bills even though she doesn’t. On the very bad days, you long for the moment when she will go away to college and you can get some peace back in your house.

A lack of unity characterizes this stage as team members begin to resist group dynamic. They begin to fight for individuality and there is a lot of conflict at this stage.

The conflict comes from two main areas; first, the different personalities and working styles of the team members conflict with one another, and second, the team members start to fight against the boundaries created in the first stage. As the reality of their tasks settles in, emotions and tensions are high.

Leaders should be wary of this stage because the conflict can cause many teams to fail. It is also at this stage that team members fight for a voice and challenge the authority of their manager. Don’t be surprised if you are constantly taking on the role of goal keeper and feel a lot of resistance to your authority.

Norming

Your teenager is now is college and things are getting a little more serious. She knows that she has to work hard because after college, she’ll be on her own. However, every so often she comes home late or doesn’t come in at all. Not wanting to fight with you, she asks to move out to be ‘closer’ to school. After all, what you don’t know won’t hurt you.

This is when synergy finally shows up. For each member, a sense of normalcy settles in and individuals begin to accept one another for who they are and appreciate other members’ strengths. It is at this stage that a team becomes like a well-oiled engine.

You may find that your team members avoid conflict because they are afraid to disturb the balance. At this stage, team members are more open with their thoughts and opinion.

Leaders here should be cautious that the group does not revert back to the storming stage. Positive conflict through exchange of ideas should be encouraged as avoidance of issues can lead to catastrophic disagreements.

Performing

You don’t know how it happened but your little baby girl is now an adult. She’s done with their crazy college days and has managed to get a good GPA. She even got a job with a great tech start up and has been paying her rent for 6 months now. You’re one proud parent. Last month she even sent you some money for lunch. Life is good.

Not many groups reach this stage, but when they do, they operate on a high level of connectedness, integrity and openness. To be in such a stage of a group is both good and challenging. It is a blessing because tasks are being performed at optimal efficiency. However, it can be difficult when members start to realize that their time together could be coming to an end.

Problem-solving, an enviable soft skill for any organization or team to have, is the order of the day for such groups and team effort is focused mainly on the task at hand.

This is the best stage for a leader because they can loosen their reigns on the team and focus on developing each team member individually.

Adjourning

Your daughter is engaged and you’re happy for her…but you know that soon things are about to change. She’s won’t be coming home for dinner every Friday and she’s soon going to be somebody’s mother! You’re sad and happy at the same time. Happy because she has a new life ahead of her, but sad because things are not going to be the same.

Tuckman added this last stage to the equation 12 years after he hypothesized the first 4 stages.
The adjournment stage is characterized by sadness and anxiety. Team mates have become friends and they do not want to let go of that. Your team members may want to work together on future projects.

The leader during this stage focuses on helping members assess their performance and map out their future plans.

As a leader, it is important to understand these stages and identify them in your various places of work and projects. This way, when you see a lot of conflict arising in a new group, you understand why it is happening and can come up with favorable solutions.

Which of the stages above do you feel your team is currently in? What have you done as a leader to try and manage conflict in your team?

Adapted from Bruce Tuckman’s 1965 and 1977 journal articles on ‘Developmental Sequence in Small Groups.’