Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development: How Teams Move from Forming to Performing

What if the tension, awkwardness, or slowdown you’re seeing in your team isn’t a sign of failure—but a normal psychological stage that every group must pass through?

Executive Summary

Tuckman’s model—Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning—is not a recipe for high-performing teams. It is a psychological map of the natural developmental patterns groups experience as they move toward cohesion and effectiveness. When leaders interpret the model diagnostically rather than prescriptively, they gain language for what is happening, why conflict shows up, where teams stall, and how to guide them toward healthy functioning.

Teams cycle forward and backward depending on membership changes, leadership shifts, or new challenges. High performance emerges not from skipping tension but from working through it with clarity, structure, and supportive leadership.

Tuckman in One Sentence: Teams Grow Through Predictable Tension

Originally published in 1965 and expanded later with Jensen, Tuckman’s model identifies five stages:

Forming → Storming → Norming → Performing → Adjourning

These stages are not “good” or “bad.” They describe the psychological processes teams undergo as members negotiate identity, expectations, influence, collaboration, and shared purpose. Understanding these stages allows leaders to normalize discomfort and guide teams without overreacting.

Stage 1: Forming — Polite, Careful, and Uncertain

The team has just come together. People are friendly but cautious, trying to understand expectations and fit in.

Beneath the surface, team members are wondering:

• Will I fit in here?

• Who is in charge?

• What exactly are we doing?

Behavioral patterns include:

• Polite and safe conversations

• Reliance on the leader for structure

• Minimal pushback or challenge

• High dependency, low clarity

Leader priorities in Forming:

• Set direction and goals

• Clarify roles and responsibilities

• Establish decision-making processes

• Model psychological safety

Productivity is not the primary outcome—orientation is.

Stage 2: Storming — Real Conflict Shows Up

Once people feel safer, authentic differences surface.
This is often the most uncomfortable stage.

Storming includes:

• Conflicting opinions about how to work

• Tension around priorities and ownership

• Challenges to decisions or leadership style

• Personality clashes or influence struggles

Storming is not a sign the team is broken.
It is a sign the team has stopped pretending.

Two leadership mistakes commonly occur:

1. Shutting down conflict too quickly (leading to artificial harmony and hidden resentment)

2. Allowing conflict to become personal or chaotic

Leader priorities in Storming:

• Normalize disagreement as healthy

• Keep conflict focused on tasks, not people

• Facilitate structured conversations

• Clarify expectations and commitments

Handled well, this stage builds honesty, trust, and clarity.

Stage 3: Norming — We, Not Just Me

After navigating storming, something important shifts.
The team begins to accept each other more realistically.

Norming includes:

• Shared norms and routines

• Clearer roles and communication patterns

• Increased trust and willingness to ask for help

• A stronger sense of belonging and team identity

People talk more about “we” than “I.”

Risks in Norming:

• Overemphasis on harmony

• Groupthink

• Avoidance of productive challenge

Leader priorities in Norming:

• Encourage constructive debate

• Support emerging team-owned processes

• Reinforce accountability without being controlling

• Maintain psychological safety

The team is now building the foundation for high performance.

Stage 4: Performing — Focused, Flexible, and High Trust

The team operates smoothly and independently.
People know how to collaborate, disagree constructively, and deliver results.

Performing includes:

• High clarity on roles and expectations

• Fluid collaboration

• Rapid problem solving

• Strong trust and psychological safety

• High adaptability

Leadership becomes more strategic and less directive.

Leader priorities in Performing:

• Remove obstacles

• Provide resources

• Maintain external alignment

• Protect the team’s time and focus

Performing does not mean conflict disappears—it means conflict no longer derails progress.

Stage 5: Adjourning — Endings Matter Too

Teams dissolve, projects end, and members move on.
This stage is often ignored, yet it shapes future team functioning.

Adjourning includes:

• Pride in accomplishments

• Grief or sadness about ending

• Anxiety about transitions

• Reflection on learning

Rushing this stage leaves emotional residue that people carry forward.

Leader priorities in Adjourning:

• Facilitate reflection and acknowledgement

• Celebrate contributions

• Capture lessons learned

• Support transitions

Ending well improves how people begin their next team experience.

Teams Don’t Move Through Stages Only Once — They Cycle Back

A critical insight often missed:

Teams regress when conditions change.

Examples:

• A new leader joins

• A major project pivot occurs

• Several new members arrive

• Workload or goals shift drastically

A performing team can return to forming or storming.
This is not failure—it is a natural psychological reset.

Effective leaders name the regression and guide the team forward again.

Leadership Must Change at Each Stage

Tuckman’s model is most powerful when leaders adjust their approach:
Modern Contexts: How Tuckman Appears in Today’s Teams

Remote Teams

Longer forming periods due to fewer spontaneous interactions.
Leaders must create deliberate relational rituals.

Cross-Functional Teams

More storming because members bring diverse expertise and norms.
This friction can fuel innovation if guided well.

Agile and Sprint Teams

Rapid cycles mean teams experience micro versions of every stage every 2–4 weeks.
Retrospectives help teams move through the stages quickly.

How to Use Tuckman Practically

The model becomes truly powerful when leaders:

1. Name the stage openly

“This feels like storming, and that’s normal.”

2. Normalize it as predictable, not problematic

“This tension is part of becoming a stronger team.”

3. Adjust leadership behavior to what the stage needs

You stop asking, “What is wrong with this team?”
You start asking, “What stage are we in, and what does this stage need?”

Teams become high performing not by skipping conflict, but by moving through it intentionally.

Ready to Strengthen Your Team Development Frameworks?

Organization Learning Labs offers team diagnostics, leader capability programs, and stage-based development tools grounded in Tuckman’s research. Our evidence-based methods help leaders recognize their team’s stage and apply the right interventions to move from forming to performing with clarity and confidence.

References

Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384–399.
Tuckman, B. W., & Jensen, M. A. C. (1977). Stages of small-group development revisited. Group & Organization Studies, 2(4), 419–427.
Wheelan, S. (2009). Group size, developmental stage, and group productivity. Small Group Research, 40(2), 247–262.