The Five Stages of Group Development

According to Bruce Wayne Tucker , the developer of the Tucker Stages, there are (5) stages of group development. The first stage is called Forming. Forming is when members of a newly formed group meets for the first time to collaborate on a project. This occasion gives each member a chance to introduce themselves and express to the other members what they plan to contribute to the project. This may also be the time when certain roles are delegated to certain members ; such as leader/facilitator, recorder, information surfer, and so on. The second stage is storming. During the storming stage, group members are basically competing to have their ideas heard or recognized. This can sometimes cause conflict within the group, in which case, the group leader is needed. The role of the group leader or facilitator is important during this stage for it is the leader who help to control and resolve disagreements and to help restore and maintain group moral. The third stage is norming. When there is no longer conflict and group members respect one another’s opinions and are working together as a team, this is called norming. The fourth stage, performing , is when the group is now working together harmoniously as a team. Members are focused on reaching the goal and are trusting and relying on each other. Each member is working independently and is able to solve intragroup disagreements without the aid of the group leader or facilitator. The group is successful at this stage. It is important to note however, that certain situations can arise and set a group back a stage or maybe even two. For example, a new member with opposing ideas can set a group that’s at stage four, the performing stage, back to stage two , the storming stage. The last stage is the adjourning stage. This is when the project is complete and the members of the group are moving on to other projects, Hopefully the project was a success. The adjourning stage is a time for celebration and acknowledgment. If