logo

Unlocking Team Success: Understanding Bruce Tuckman's Team Development Model

   

Added on  2023-04-25

3 Pages1191 Words113 Views
Bruce Tuckman’s Team Development Model
(Tuckman, 1965)
Summary
Bruce Tuckman, a psychology professor, identified four stages of development – forming, storming, norming and
performing - that every team experiences, and suggested that all teams go through a relatively unproductive
initial stage before becoming a self-reliant unit. The ‘team growth model’ also suggests that unless the issues of
processes and feelings have been satisfactorily addressed, it is unlikely that the team will reach the most
productive final stage.
Introduction
Any team that stays together over a period of time will change and develop. Tuckman noted that there are three
issues which determine how well teams perform:
content
process
feelings
In short, content relates to what the team does, process relates to how the team works towards its objectives
and feelings applies to how team members relate to one another.
Tuckman’s research suggests that most teams concentrate almost exclusively on content, to the detriment of
process and feelings, which explains why teams which are strong on paper can under-perform.
The four stages
Tuckman suggested that the life cycle of a team involves four stages. At each stage, the dynamics of the team
change dramatically from periods of inefficiency and uneasiness through to a period of high performance.
These changes are summarised in the following table, and elaborated in the diagram on page 3.
Forming Storming Norming Performing
General
Observations
Uncertainty about
roles, looking
outside for
guidance.
Growing confidence in
team, rejecting outside
authority.
Concern about being
different, wanting to
be part of team.
Concern with getting
the job done.
Content Issues Some attempt to
define the job to be
done.
Team members resist
the task demands.
There is an open
exchange of views
about the team’s
problems.
Resources are allocated
efficiently; processes
are in place to ensure
that the final objective
is achieved.
Process Issues Team members look
outside for guidance
and direction.
Team members deny
the task and look for the
reasons not to do it.
The team starts to set
up the procedures to
deal with the task.
The team is able to
solve problems.
Feelings Issues People feel anxious
and are unsure of
their roles. Most
look to a leader or
coordinator for
guidance.
People still feel
uncertain and try to
express their
individuality. Concerns
arise about the team
hierarchy.
People ignore
individual differences
and team members
are more accepting of
one another.
People share a common
focus, communicate
effectively and become
more efficient and
flexible as a result.
A fifth stage
Following another period of research, Tuckman developed a fifth stage called ‘adjourning’. This final stage
involves the disengagement of relationships between team members and a short period of recognition for the
team’s achievements. Sometimes, concluding the operations of a team is disturbing for members, especially if
they have worked together for long periods of time.

End of preview

Want to access all the pages? Upload your documents or become a member.

Related Documents
Analysis of Tuckman’s Model of Group Development
|7
|1809
|77

Benefit of Team Working
|5
|877
|46

Facilitation Sessions with Refugees: Analysis through Tuckman Model
|11
|3342
|265

Reflection based on Tuckman Theory
|5
|846
|1

Effective Team Working and Communication
|10
|3052
|56

Organisational Behaviour: Tuckman's Theory and Conflict Management
|13
|3230
|46