Understand the five stages of group development for team success

31-07-2022

Understanding the humanistic calendar for group development is the key to team success. Just as I wouldn’t expect a six-month-old to walk, I wouldn’t expect a new team to come together quickly and perform as well. Much of today’s work is accomplished through group effort, transformation teams are developed, projects are managed through group interaction, groups are formed as companies and divisions merge to co-create a unified team.

As a coach, consultant and mentor, I have been asked to help numerous newly formed or transitioning teams. The first thing I do is assess where the team is in its development stages. Studies show that it takes six months for a new group to be truly productive. Yes, six months. Believe me, they are not wasting their time during the first six months, they are progressing and building a solid team built on a lasting foundation.

Let’s look at the stages of group development.

Stage one is Dependency and Inclusion. The new team mingle, like strangers at a party. The first two months are spent getting to know each other and learning about each other’s talents and abilities. They begin to weave the threads of their team, weaving together the fabric that represents their shared goals.

At four months, the team enters Stage Two, a Counterdependency stage. Feeling safe with each other, rational disagreements arise and conflicts begin to arise. Conflict builds trust and strengthens voices while opening the door to new ideas. This is not a team in trouble. Using guided skills to optimize this stage offers the opportunity to put footholds in your foundation.

Stage three occurs about a month later when, by working through the conflict, trust and security emerge. The group is more participatory, talkative and respectful of the different voices. Stage four, within six to eight months, results in a high-performing, predictable group of tight-knit, results-focused colleagues. Wouldn’t every leader, organization, and team member want to achieve that goal?

Stage Five occurs when, perhaps due to the termination of the project, the group disbands and its members carry the skills they learned into their next group experience. So take a look at the groups you’re a part of or manage. What stage are they in? Create awareness in the group by informing them of the stages of group development. Use the information to allow the group to grow and develop at its normal rate and know that the results will be long lasting, productive and much more fun!

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