The forming, storming, norming, performing model of team development was first introduced by Bruce Tuckman in 1965. He argued that these phases are all necessary and inevitable for the team growth, overcoming challenges and tackling problems, finding solutions, planning work and delivering results. Tuckman later added a fifth phase, adjourning, which is referred to by some as the mourning stage, which involves completing the task and breaking up the team. (Wikipedia, 2005) All teams, whether social, academic, or professional go through these five phases during team development (more permanent teams may not immediately face the adjourning phase) either consciously or subconsciously and the cycles are repeated throughout the life of the team.
In the first phase, forming, quite simply, is forming a new team. A group of individuals are to form a team. The text, Organizational Behavior, 9th Edition, states that a primary concern is the initial entry of members to a team. This stage may be uncomfortable to some. For instance, at the University of Phoenix (UoP) learning teams are formed in the beginning of each class. Most learning teams are formed when students first begin taking classes at UoP and are, for the most part, maintained throughout the students' time at the school. During that first class period it may be uncomfortable for a group of strangers to begin talking and forming a team. The text says that during this stage individuals ask a number of questions such as, "What can the group do for me?" "What will I be asked to contribute?" "Can my needs be met??" (p. 268, ¶ 2) Individuals are getting to know each other and trying to determine where they fit best. Once the team is formed, the next step the ...