Unlock Your Team’s Potential – Proven Tips for Effective Team Development!

Team Development Storming is the second of the five stages in Bruce Tuckman’s team development model. It follows the “forming stage”. During the storming phase, team members challenge each other’s ideas, roles, and authority. It leads to friction or disagreements. By successfully managing this phase, you can set the stage for greater cohesion and productivity in the Norming and Performing phases.

A team is like a puzzle. The picture makes sense only when all the pieces fit.

Building a successful team is more than just about hiring skilled people! That’s because every group starts with excitement, but true results come only when collaboration, trust, and clarity grow

But, how to build a strong team? Is there a defined process to do this? Yes, the theory arrived in 1965 when Bruce Tuckman gave a team development model. This model has 5 phases of team development. Each stage explains exactly how a team evolves and what to expect at each step!

So, do you want to build a truly united team in 2025? In this article, let’s study in detail the 5 phases of team development. Also, we will check out group activities you can perform at each stage to boost employee morale and productivity.

What is The Tuckman’s Model of Team Development?

Bruce Tuckman was a psychologist who created a team development model in 1965. His model explains how people in a team start working together. As per his observations:

• Teams do not become strong or productive immediately. 
• Instead, they go through specific steps before reaching a point where they work as a single unit.

He explained the four steps teams go through (including the storming stage of team building). Later, a fifth step was added when the team finishes its work and members move on. These stages are:

1. Forming
2. Team development storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Adjourning

Let’s understand these five stages in the next section.

The 5 Phases of Team Development 

Did you know? About 86% of employees and executives cite ineffective collaboration and communication as the primary causes of workplace failures. 

By implementing Tuckman’s team development model in your organisation, you can create a workforce that:

• Communicates clearly
• Collaborates with purpose
• Delivers consistent results across all stages of project execution

Let’s understand in the detail the 5 stages of team formation:

1. Forming Stage

This is the starting point when a new team comes together. People in the group may not know each other yet. Thus, they are:

• Careful in how they speak and behave

• Not sure what to expect or how they will fit in

Some may be excited about the project, but others may feel nervous and remain quiet. Also, there is little trust and no one is sure how decisions will be made. 

Please note that this is a critical time for you as a business owner or team leader. At this stage, your role is to bring structure. You can do so by performing the following tasks:

• Introduce everyone
• Explain the goals of the team clearly
• Define what each person is expected to do
• Set rules for communication and behaviour
• Assign responsibilities
• Show them how meetings will happen and how work will be tracked. 

Your aim at this stage is to reduce confusion and make every member feel a part of the common business goal. This stage builds a base for later progress.

2. Storming Stage

This phase is also known as team development storming. Once people start working together, their real personalities and opinions start to show. In the storming stage of team building, you can expect the following:

• Disagreements begin
• Some team members may try to take control
• A few may resist new ideas or challenge how tasks are assigned
• There may be arguments or divisions within the group
• Productivity may slow down
• People may become frustrated or defensive

Be aware that this is normal. But, you as a business owner, must act quickly! You must try to prevent conflicts from becoming personal. In the storming stage of team building, you must perform the following duties:

• Regularly remind everyone of the common business goal
• Break large tasks into smaller steps to keep the team focused
• Help team members talk through their issues calmly
• Do not take sides
• Create rules so that everyone can speak during meetings without being interrupted
• Listen carefully to what people are saying and guide them toward finding common ground

If your team works through this phase, they will become stronger and more united for future work. Even studies show that teams that communicate smoothly can boost productivity by up to 25%. 

3. Norming Stage

In the norming stage, your team starts working together more smoothly. The disagreements and confusions created in the storming stage of team building, begin to settle. Team members start to understand each other’s:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Work styles

Trust builds, and everyone focuses on the actual work instead of personal differences or team structure. Additionally, people start:

• Helping each other
• Sharing updates without being asked
• Cooperating more during tasks

The team becomes more organised and begins following the rules and systems created in Stage I. As the business owner, your role now is to support this structure. 

Perform these tasks:

• Make sure the team feels appreciated for their progress. 
• Recognise good work and create small moments to celebrate success. 
• Ask the team how things are going
• Be open to suggestions for better ways to work
• Some team members may still have personal challenges, so offer individual help if needed

Your main job in this stage is to maintain team stability and ensure everyone keeps moving forward.

4. Performing Stage

The performing stage is where your team starts showing strong results. Everyone knows their role and does their part. They start working with minimal supervision. Additionally, in this stage:

• Communication is clear
• Conflicts are rare or managed easily
• The team takes full ownership of the work
• Members share ideas and solve problems together

This phase is completely different from the team development storming stage. Here, you will notice more confidence and better use of everyone’s skills. However, remember that as a leader, you don’t need to control every step! 

Let’s see what tasks you can perform in this stage:

• Let the team make decisions when possible (but stay involved by guiding them with clear goals)
• Keep checking in and offer support when asked
• Show that you trust their judgment
• Make sure each person’s contribution is noticed (particularly those who are quiet but consistent).
• Encourage rest and work-life balance so no one gets burnt out.

This stage gives your business the highest output, so maintain motivation and direction without micromanaging.

5. Adjourning Stage

The adjourning stage happens when a team finishes its project or work assignment. During this stage, the team:

• Wraps up pending work
• Submits final deliverables
• Completes any necessary reports or handovers

This stage can be mixed with emotions! Team members might feel proud of the results but also sad that the group is splitting up. Some may even feel unsure about what’s next. 

Here, as a business owner, your role is to help close things out properly. 

You can do so by performing these tasks:

• Thank the team for their effort and results. 
• To reduce uncertainty, offer guidance about upcoming opportunities or roles. 
• Be available for questions and provide reassurance. 
• Make sure all final documentation and responsibilities are completed before the team is disbanded

Always remember that ending strongly builds trust. It sets the tone for future team projects in your business.

Group Activities For Each of The 5 Phases of Team Development 

Studies show that about 13% of employees say their productivity improves when they are happy. One way to make employees happier is by regularly organising group activities. 

For your reference, below are some popular group activities you can organise for each of the 5 phases of team development:

Stage 1: Forming

In this stage, your team is new. To build comfort and familiarity, perform these activities:

• Introductions
  • Each employee should learn each other’s:
    • Name

• Role in the team
• Let them share two personal facts.
• Each person then introduces their partner to the group. 
• This activity breaks the ice and builds trust.
• Client Trivia

• • Split your team into two groups. 
  • Ask one group to research the client’s background.
  • Ask the other group to study the product. 
  • Each group prepares a short presentation. 
  • This activity allows everyone to understand the client and project better.

Stage 2: Storming Stage of Team Building

In this team development storming stage, your team is facing confusion or friction. You can organise these group activities to reduce misunderstandings:

• Use Video Communication

• • Encourage your team members to resolve disagreements through video calls instead of chat or email. 
  • By seeing each other’s facial expressions, they can better avoid misinterpretations.

• Track Team Progress Visually

• • Create a slide deck.
  • The deck must show completed tasks such as brand research or campaign drafts. 
  • This reminds everyone that they are moving forward and working toward a shared goal.

Stage 3: Norming

At this stage, people start understanding each other’s working styles. Collaboration improves as compared to the team development storming phase. To develop natural teamwork, you should perform this activity:

• Virtual Social Meetups

• • Arrange a casual team session like an:
    • Online happy hour 

• Informal group chat

• This activity builds bonds beyond work discussions and supports friendly communication.

Stage 4: Performing

By now, your team is focused and performing tasks with clarity. They are self-sufficient and need minimal supervision. To maintain motivation, organise these activities:

• Future Vision Board

• • Ask the team to imagine they have completed the project successfully. 
  • Now, tell each person to design a board.
  • The vision board must show where they see themselves and the team after the campaign.

• Ask Three Questions

• • Conduct a feedback session where the team answers:
    • What is working?
    • What isn’t?
    • What can we do better?
  • This lets you identify areas for improvement.

• See What Sticks (Brainstorming Session)

• • Hold a rapid idea session.
  • In this session, everyone shares suggestions for:
    • Final campaign efforts 

• Future improvements

• This activity keeps creativity flowing and promotes team participation.

Stage 5: Adjourning

As the project ends, it’s time to bring closure. Organise these group activities to show appreciation:

• Review the Vision Board

• • Revisit the “future vision” boards created earlier. 
  • Discuss how close the team came to their imagined success. 
  • This provides a clear picture of what was achieved.

• Group Sharing Session

• • Set up a final team call. 
  • Ask each person to share:
    • What they learned
    • The highs and lows
    • How they plan to use their experience in future projects

• Thank-You Notes or Small Celebration

• • Send a short thank-you message to each member.
  • Appreciate their specific role. 
  • Optionally, hold a small virtual celebration. 
  • This leaves a positive impression and shows professionalism.

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Building a strong team isn’t just a goal. It’s a journey! And, you can complete this journey, by following the 5 stages of team formation. Also, try to match the right activities to each stage. These efforts allow you to:

• Build trust
• Reduce friction
• Achieve consistent productivity

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FAQs On Team Development Storming

1. Why does my team struggle to work well together, even after weeks of onboarding?

Team bonding doesn’t happen overnight! According to Tuckman’s model, teams go through the storming stage of team building and norming before delivering strong performances. 

Thus, you as a leader should try to guide them through conflicts and build trust among themselves. Also, give them time to grow as a unit!

2. How can I manage team conflicts without taking sides?

You can stay neutral by:

• Setting ground rules for respectful communication
• Promoting calm discussions
• Guiding them toward common solutions instead of picking favourites

These steps build trust and avoid deeper divisions in the team.

3. What if my high-performing team suddenly becomes less productive?

It’s normal for teams to fluctuate. In these situations, you should:

• Revisit project goals
• Try to get feedback
• Assess burnout levels

Remember that sometimes, even top teams need motivation and appreciation to regain focus and performance levels.