If you are studying for the Project Management Professional, Agile Certified Professional, or Risk Management Professional certification, you need to know about the Tuckman’s Model (sometimes called The Tuckman’s Ladder). I recommend learning about this model to either study more or kicking back with a cup of [insert your drink] and enjoy this article.
Today, we are discussing one of many concepts surrounding group dynamics. One that, if you thought about it, you have witnessed throughout any small group engagements in your life. This model of group (or team) development and team performance we call “The Tuckman’s Model.”
Tuckman’s model consists of five stages:
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Adjourning
After a good brainstorming session, you need to organize your thoughts. The affinity diagram is a great way to categorize and prioritize your thoughts.
Affinity diagrams expand outside of just risk management for project managers. For our case today, affinity diagrams are a quick and easy way to categorize risks for a risk register.
To build an affinity diagram, you will want to cluster your risks (hopefully from a brainstorming session) into common banks of risks. You can also cluster them per relationship. The main goal of the clusters is to group the risks to build a bigger risk picture of the project.
The affinity diagram is used to organize thoughts, and it is extremely effective after brainstorming.
PMI Exam Tip: You are not going to need to memorize these steps of Tuckman’s Model, but you still want to know each of these terms.
Even though they already have a good flow for memorization, I did help a friend with memorizing through an Acrostic. An acrostic is when you use the first letter to help you memorize terms – I like to put them into a sentence.
For the Tuckman Model, if you need some help with remembering these terms, just use: Fredddy Seriously is Not getting his
PMP Again.
Throughout the next few minutes, we will break down each of these steps of the model, talk about how to recognize which step you are within, and how to move throughout the stages of team development.
Who is Bruce Tuckman?
Before we dive too deep into the model, let’s first go over the individual who developed the Tuckman’s Model, Bruce Tuckman.
Bruce Tuckman, a psychological researcher, focused his studies on group dynamics. Working within the field of academia, he initially built the model with only the first four stages we see today:
Forming Stage
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Storming Stage
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Norming Stage
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Performing Stage
It wasn’t until 1977 that he added the final stage, the Adjourning Stage. With the addition of the adjourning stage, Tuckman’s model of team development, which we know today, officially came together.
The Importance of Group Development
It’s not hard to see why this model, out of a few, is a testable subject in PMI exams.
A “Project,” as defined in the PMBOK, is “A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result.” The key word here being “Temporary”. If we have temporary projects, that means we also have temporary teams.
And those teams will inevitably need to form together, temporarily, to accomplish the task at hand.
Rarely, if not never, new teams do not form together and immediately start churning out deliverables and products. Due to our human nature, a team developmental sequence is bound to happen.
That is the quick explanation for why Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning jumped into the project management institute curriculum and exam content outlines. Projects need teams, and teams need to develop. And, to develop into high-performing teams, they must go through some form of team development.
OK, What Does Tuckman’s Model Have to Do With Me as a PM?
As the project manager, you are the project team’s leader. It does not matter if your organization is matrixed, functional, or projectified, developing into a high performing team should be one of your team’s goals.
As the team leader, getting your team members to the performing stage needs to be one of your top priorities.
So, let’s get into each stage and discuss what you will see within each stage of Tuckman’s model.
The Forming Stage
The forming stage begins when the organization initiates a new project, and the project team comes together. During this stage, the team members need to learn about each other. Within forming, we see multiple characteristics:
Onboarding: This is that awkward phase when a new group forms together. Everyone is eager to participate and start working, but simultaneously, they are figuring out their role and responsibility to the team.
Testing: We, as humans, like to test boundaries. We generally do not do this to cause issues but to establish informal limits to what we can and cannot do.
Dependency: While team members look for those informal positions, they lack direction and guidance. Therefore, the team lives in uncertainty as they need a leader to show them where to go and what to do.
Formation: Through everything above, the does starts to gel, at times. Ideas circulate, and members begin talking. The team still lacks the overall identity to work together and move forward.
For Forming, uncertainty leads the team. They require a leader to provide clarity and direction for their work.
Overcoming the Forming Stage
You should see that leadership is the key component within forming. As the project manager, you need to fill this leadership gap and get the team through forming so they can move into the follow-on stages of the Tuckman Model.
Some recommended tips to get through forming is:
Set Clear Goals: You want to set the team’s goals, objectives, and expectations. Working with the sponsor, you establish the way forward for the team with a purpose for their work.
Trust and Communication: The team needs to learn to communicate and trust each other. Setting some “Break the Ice” or “Team Building” exercises helps establish a new level of trust and communication.
Clarify Roles: The team members need to know what they are doing and how they fit into the bigger puzzle. Doing so will open them up to easier communication and less confusion about who is who and what they need to work on.
Establish Ground Rules: For the team to form together, they must know their limits. This is where ground rules around meetings, information sharing, etc. come into play when establishing the team.
These tips will help get your team through forming within Tuckman’s model. Challenges may still arise as the team learns to work together, but they will progress quickly.
But, You need not feel concerned when the team starts arguing with each other, as this is the next step, The Storming Stage.
The Storming Stage
The Storming Stage is when the team members begin challenging other team members. During this stage, members move beyond the roles and responsibilities we saw in forming. They are now actively establishing their power and influence throughout the team.
Some behaviors you will see throughout the storming phase are:
Disagreements: The team has no working relationship to work through disagreements. This leads to disagreements and arguments about various project topics.
Competition: Team members want to excel, but with the lack of cohesion, team members also challenge one another. They want to see how the team and specific individuals respond when handling the specific issue.
Frustration: If the team moves slowly through this stage, bottlenecks, constraints, and blockers occur, resulting in a lack of progress. Members taking leadership roles tend to get frustrated, taking this out on other team members, breaking up any group harmony, which leads to more disagreements.
Overcoming the Storming Phase
To overcome these behaviors, you need to establish:
Conflict Resolution: Develop ways for the team to present their concerns to the group, developing the group through internal problem-solving. This also provides an opportunity to establish internal group norms.
Foster Collaborative Efforts: Building upon conflict resolution, foster teamwork by encouraging and emphasizing shared work and objectives.
Flexible Perspectives: Another strategy is encouraging everyone to accommodate innovative and challenging perspectives. Create an opportunity for team members to present new concepts and ideas to the group without judgment.
During storming, there should be one focus for the project manager, which is building the team. This stage presents a prime opportunity for team development. All being the key to moving into the next stage of within the Tuckman model.
The Norming Stage
Ah, the stage where the team starts leveling out. The team’s progress starts to pick up during this stage as the team settles into a routine and a new level of cohesiveness.
Each team member’s mentality starts to branch away from themselves and into what’s best for the team.
Within this stage, we see:
Group Functioning: The team starts finding their team norms and team roles, and you see small group development. Overall team relationships are starting to form, allowing for the group to function together and focus on the team tasks for the project.
Shared Accountability: During this stage, we see team members accepting their roles in the project. This allows for mutual support across objectives and accountability as each team member understand their role and the role of their team members.
Engagement and Feedback: As the team develops maturity, the team begins engaging more and accepting feedback without reproach. There is a new level of commitment and participation throughout the team, leading to easily accomplished project tasks and objectives.
Emerging Relationship: Interpersonal relationships and team dynamics form throughout the team. Group members start working together to accomplish their individual and the team tasks for the project.
Here in Norming, the team finally starts coming together. Once you get to Norming, your role as the PM turns to fostering relationships across the team. Look for opportunities to build proficiency in procedures and prepare to start moving into the next stage, Performing.
The Performing Stage
The Storming Stage is when the team members begin challenging other team members. During this stage, members move beyond the roles and responsibilities we saw in forming. They are now actively establishing their power and influence throughout the team.
Some behaviors you will see throughout the storming phase are:
Disagreements: The team has no working relationship to work through disagreements. This leads to disagreements and arguments about various project topics.
Competition: Team members want to excel, but with the lack of cohesion, team members also challenge one another. They want to see how the team and specific individuals respond when handling the specific issue.
Frustration: If the team moves slowly through this stage, bottlenecks, constraints, and blockers occur, resulting in a lack of progress. Members taking leadership roles tend to get frustrated, taking this out on other team members, breaking up any group harmony, which leads to more disagreements.
Maximizing Value While Performing
Your team has reached peak productivity and autonomy in collaboration, task activities, and problem-solving. You now must keep this momentum going. You can do this by:
Metric Tracking: Track performance data and communicate this to the team. Allow the team to identify their ways to improve, you
Reviews and Learning: On top of the metrics, put the team together for constructive criticism amongst each other. Allow them to review their work, provide feedback, and learn from one another.
Innovate and Celebrate: Provide space for the team to work independently, allowing them to explore new and exciting solutions. Celebrate wins with these and all solutions – continue increasing morale.
You must capitalize on this stage. A team in the Performing stage can tackle complex problem while sustaining their pace and effectiveness. As the team leader, it is up to you to ensure that this drive toward success continues and the team avoids burnout.
The Adjourning Stage
This is a difficult stage for the team out of the five stages. As the project completes, the team’s journey completes, leading the band breaking up.
To make this stage successful, you need to:
Close the Project: Close the project properly. Reflect on the work. Do an after-action and discuss what went well and what didn’t. Create your lessons learned to publish for future teams.
Reward Team Members: Reward all achievements of the team and individual members. Celebrating accomplishments creates high morale and a sense of accomplishment in their work.
Transition and Farewells: As team members prepare for new projects and start back in the forming stage, prepare them for separation. Even if working on closing paperwork, allow them time to meet their new team and begin the next phase in their career.
Continue with Communication: Do not just let the team sit and wait for information. Continue to communicate timelines for project closure and the official disbanding of the team. Ensure you help plan and provide mentorship and guidance to each of your key team members while they prepare for their new and hopefully more challenging roles.
Adjourning can be a somber yet exciting time. As the leader, you need to show compassion for the team as they disband and go to new teams.
The team worked together, went through the Tuckman’s model, and succeeded. Now, you have to prepare them for the next big thing, their next project.
The Wrap Up
Recognizing and effectively navigating through Tuckman’s model stages of group development is challenging. But it also fosters a productive and motivating team environment in the end.
As Project Managers, you need to understand and recognize each stage. As a leader, you guide your teams to peak performance and project success through the growth developed while forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.
Always take a thoughtful approach to your team’s evolution during this process. It has more than a lasting relationship with your project. It also impacts your team’s professional journeys, mental health, and overall satisfaction with their work.
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