Science and world

5 stages of team development 
Stage 
Description 
Stage and assumptions 
Leader role in team building 
Step 1 
Team formation 
Forming 
Team members meet for the first 
time. They experience: 

caution, 

uncertainty, 

searching for a direction, 

and visible avoidance of a 
conflict 

interactions between team 
members are random 
Moving from thinking “I” 
to “we” 

assigning of tasks, 

establishing team assumptions, 

specifying structures and roles, 

developing rules, 

establishing a goal, 

giving feedback to each person in the 
team.
Stage 2: 
settling into a 
team and conflict
(Storming) 
Members of the team settle into 
it. In the team functioning, it is 
reflected as: 

continuous conflict 

members 
resisting 
emotionally 

fight for power
Time of stormy talks and 
disputes. 

assigning tasks in such way that 
people 
need 
each 
other, 
and 
in 
consequence, cooperate with each other, 

creating a safe area for talks, exchange 
of arguments without conflicts, 

assistance in creation of the team 
structure, 

avoiding controlling of the team.
Stage 3: 
standardizing 
creation of rules 
and regulations in 
the team 
(Norming) 
Team members: 

move from conflicts to 
constructive discussions. 

ideas are shared and mutual 
support is demonstrated.
Members accept 
established norms and 
roles in the team. The 
leader’s role is based on
observing. 

ensuring that each team member feels 
responsible for the project and is able to 
manage time themselves, 

supervising and reacting to any 
possible conflict, 

being a partner, not a leader, for team 
members.
Stage 4: 
action,
cooperation
(Performing) 
It is a stage of: 

most effective team work. 

when 
solutions 
are 
implemented
Team members strive for 
constructive problem 
solving. Leadership is 
accepted 

being interested in what is happening 
in the team, 

establishing new goals and challenges, 

motivating the team, 

being interested in who does what in the 
group, 

support in case of any problems, 

providing options for development to 
team members.
Stage 5: 
suspension,