Tuckman's Team Development Model in Organizational Leadership

Introduction: Communication and Group Development

No communication or group interaction — whether information is transmitted from one individual to another worker, between members of a work group, or from a founding CEO to a larger organization — begins with an immediate sense of trust and rapport. Rather, just as at a social party, there is an icebreaking period, followed by a heated period of involvement, and then an increasing level of comfortable association. Likewise, all acts of organizational communication exhibit, to some degree, a tentative starting period, a formal or informal engagement with the tasks at hand, and finally a gradual cooling-off process. One way to think of this process is as follows: (1) forming, (2) storming, (3) norming, and (4) performing.

Forming: Establishing Direction and Purpose

Bruce Tuckman published this Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing model in 1965, and later added a fifth stage — adjourning — in his 1970s revision of the theory. The Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing theory "began as an elegant and helpful explanation of team development and behavior" (Business Balls, 2004). It has since become so widely adopted that self-administered assessments now exist to help organizations determine which stage of development they have reached (Clark, 1998).

During the forming stage, there is a high level of dependence on an organizational leader for guidance and direction. Within a work team, for instance, the team might constantly refer back to the project manager. During an organization's conception, newly employed workers might continually seek assistance from the CEO. At this crucial formation stage, there is little agreement on what the team aims to achieve beyond the goals directed by the leader. Since individual roles and responsibilities are unclear, such top-down guidance may not be a negative thing initially.

Storming: Navigating Conflict and Leadership Challenges

The leader must be prepared to answer many questions about the organization's purpose, objectives, and external relationships — clearly and with an eye on the organization's ultimate goal — while also ensuring that individual organizational members gain enough understanding to establish some degree of autonomy. A key challenge during the forming period is that directives regarding standard operational processes and procedures are often ignored. Would-be leaders may be tempted to test the tolerance of the leader and the organizational system, especially if clear direction is not provided in a volatile situation (Business Balls, 2004).

This testing of organizational leadership in the absence of clear communication can become especially acute during the storming stage. It is often described as "chaotic" (Group Dynamics, 2004). Even in the best of situations, decisions are reached only with difficulty, as organizational members jockey for better positions — sometimes at the expense of broader organizational objectives. It is critical that the leader establish his or her authority in relation to subordinate team members, while simultaneously beginning to delegate some responsibilities and communicating what needs to be done. This inclusion helps other members feel part of the overall organizational process and ensures the group will remain functional as the leader gradually cedes some control in later stages of development.

Conclusion: The Adjourning Stage and Organizational Transitions

Once a normalized sense of stability is achieved, the team may move to a state of greater strategic awareness and perform with less organizational communication and micromanagement. With a clear focus on goals, less dictatorial authority is required. The organization becomes functional on its own, with standard operational procedures in place to ensure that delegated tasks and projects are completed without frequent direct instruction or assistance. Team members may still seek guidance from the leader regarding personal and interpersonal development, but the leader's primary role at this stage is to delegate and oversee rather than direct.

It should be noted that Tuckman's fifth stage, known as "adjourning," delineates the break-up of a specific work group. When the task is completed, the group's purpose is fulfilled, and everyone can move on to new things, ideally feeling good about what has been achieved. However, when a large organization is disbanded or reintegrated through a merger or acquisition, a less positive sense of well-being may prevail (Group Dynamics, 2004). In such cases, the human dimensions of organizational transition deserve careful leadership attention, drawing once again on the communication principles that underpin every stage of group development.