What are the four stages of team development?

The four stages of team development are forming, storming, norming, and performing. In the forming stage, team members come together, get to know each other, and start to understand the tasks at hand. During the storming stage, conflicts and challenges arise as team members express their individual opinions and work styles. This is a crucial phase where disagreements can lead to clarity and stronger team dynamics as roles become more defined.

Once the team has navigated the storming phase, they enter the norming stage, where members begin to resolve their differences, establish norms and expectations, and work collaboratively towards shared goals. The final stage, performing, is when the team reaches optimal functioning, working efficiently and effectively toward their objectives with a strong sense of collective identity and mutual support.

Understanding these stages helps in managing team development more effectively, as it outlines the natural progression teams follow and highlights the importance of addressing conflicts and building cohesion. This framework is widely recognized and used in team management and organizational development.