Research shows that groups develop through five stages.3 As shown in Exhibit 10–2, these five stages are: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.

Exhibit 10–2

Stages of Group Development

The forming stage has two phases. The first occurs as people join the group. In a formal group, people join because of some work assignment. Once they’ve joined, the second phase begins: defining the group’s purpose, structure, and leadership. This phase involves a great deal of uncertainty as members “test the waters” to determine what types of behavior are acceptable. This stage is complete when members begin to think of themselves as part of a group.

The storming stage is appropriately named because of the intragroup conflict. There’s conflict over who will control the group and what the group needs to be doing. When this stage is complete, a relatively clear hierarchy of leadership and agreement on the group’s direction will be evident.

The norming stage is one in which close relationships develop and the group becomes cohesive. The group now demonstrates a strong sense of group identity and camaraderie. This stage is complete when the group structure solidifies and the group has assimilated a common set of expectations (or norms) regarding member behavior.

The fourth stage is the performing stage. The group structure is in place and accepted by group members. Their energies have moved from getting to know and understand each other to working on the group’s task. This is the last stage of development for permanent work groups. However, for temporary groups—project teams, task forces, or similar groups that have a limited task to do—the final stage is the adjourning stage. In this stage, the group prepares to disband. Attention is focused on wrapping up activities instead of task performance. Group members react in different ways. Some are upbeat, thrilled about the group’s accomplishments. Others may be sad over the loss of camaraderie and friendships.

Think of a class project you’ve been involved in and you’ve probably experienced these stages firsthand. Group members are selected or assigned and then meet for the first time. There’s a “feeling out” period to assess what the group is going to do and how it’s going to be done. This is usually followed by a battle for control: Who’s going to be in charge? Once this issue is resolved and a “hierarchy” agreed on, the group identifies specific work that needs to be done, who’s going to do each part of the project, and dates by which the assigned work needs to be completed. General expectations are established. These decisions form the foundation for what you hope will be a coordinated group effort culminating in a project that’s been done well. Once the project is complete and turned in, the group breaks up. Of course, some groups don’t get much beyond the forming or storming stages. These groups may have serious interpersonal conflicts, turn in disappointing work, and get lower grades.

So, does a group become more effective as it progresses through the first four stages? Some researchers say yes, but it’s not that simple.4 That assumption may be generally true, but what makes a group effective is a complex issue. Here’s why:

• Under some conditions, high levels of conflict are conducive to high levels of group performance; that is, there might be situations in which groups in the storming stage outperform those in the norming or performing stages.

• Groups don’t always proceed sequentially from one stage to the next. Sometimes, groups are storming and performing at the same time. Groups even occasionally regress to previous stages.

• Don’t assume all groups precisely follow this process or that performing is always the most preferable stage.

Think of this group stages model as a general framework that underscores the fact that groups are dynamic entities and managers need to know the stage a group is in. Why? So they can understand the problems and issues that are most likely to surface.

What else do you need to know about groups? Let’s look at some important aspects of group behavior.