The forming stage is truly a honeymoon phase in teamwork—productivity is low, but the team members are too newly acquainted to encounter conflict. 2. Storming Of course, every honeymoon phase ends eventually. As the real work kicks in, the project may present both technical and interpersonal challenges.
Typically marking the earliest days of a relationship when laughter, lust and attraction are highest, the honeymoon phase can last for weeks, months or, in some cases, years. This phase then tends to decline the more you settle into other stages of your relationship, though.
The way to tell if you are in the honeymoon phase is to pay attention to your feelings and how you perceive your partner. “The biggest indicator of the honeymoon phase is if you feel the person in front of you is perfect,” said Mouhtis.
Not only is there nothing to worry about if you don’t have a honeymoon phase; it may actually lead to a healthier relationship in the long term. The people who feel an instant spark with their partner might be blinded by giddiness and not see the full picture of the person with whom they are entering into a relationship.
The honeymoon phase is a blissful, carefree period in a couple’s relationship. Both partners are just getting to know each other, and they can find little fault. Everything their new partner does, from how they eat to the stories they tell, is charming and endearing.
Perhaps the biggest reason the honeymoon phase is so exciting is that it’s too soon to know the partner’s full personality, with all its positives and negatives. “Everything about this person seems perfect because there hasn’t been enough time to experience their faults,” she said. “And everyone has faults.”.
It usually lasts from six months to two years and can be marked with lots of laughs, intimacy, and fun dates. Of course, the honeymoon phase is well… a phase.
Long-term relationships start to build when the honeymoon phase wanes out. All of this is not just ok, but an important step in the relationship’s growth. “The end of the honeymoon phase is when real life with this person settles in,” said Mouhtis. “Long-term relationships start to build when the honeymoon phase wanes out.”.
Of course, every honeymoon phase ends eventually. As the real work kicks in, the project may present both technical and interpersonal challenges. Individual work habits, leadership decisions, or lapses in communication can cause tension within a team. Annoyance, frustration, and anxiety commonly arise in response.
During the “forming” stage of team development, the team members acquaint themselves with the basic aspects of their task. Forming stage discussion topics often include the project goal, team member roles, basic ground rules, and designation of authority. The forming stage is truly a honeymoon phase in teamwork—productivity is low, but the team members are too newly acquainted to encounter conflict.
The fifth stage of group development is adjourning. Adjourning varies broadly from team to team. Some teams adjourn with silence, some with celebration, and others with sadness. Regardless of the length or success of a project, each team deserves a hearty affirmation of its concerted efforts.
The norming stage of team development is the calm after the storm. In this stage of team development, team members fall into a rhythm as a cohesive taskforce. The skills of each member are validated and utilized to execute the necessary tasks. While conflict may still arise in this stage, it no longer spirals into dysfunction. The team can handle conflict and proceed with the project successfully.
Characteristics of a successful team include: 1 MISSION: Everyone on the team has a clear understanding of what the collective goal is. 2 COMMITMENT: Everyone on the team invests their time, energy, and attention into the collective goal. 3 The 3 R’s: Everyone on the team understands the RULES, ROLES, and RESPONSIBILITIES of the team dynamic. 4 PROCESS: The mechanics of intergroup communication, decision-making, and accountability are agreed upon and managed effectively.
This stage of team development is called performing. Reaching the performing stage is a major success and often precipitates some form of team learning.
Team development strives to meet these criteria with ongoing reflection and growth. Like any form of development, it takes time and dedication to be effective. In other words, a team doesn’t develop from start to finish overnight.
Psychologist Bruce Tuckman shared the team development process with the world in 1965. The process consists of five stages that teams progress through from the time a leader assigns a project and creates a team, to the point the team completes the assignment and disbands.
The five stages of team development are forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning.
Originally, Bruce Tuckman conceived team development as a four stage process: forming, storming, norming, and performing. A decade after publishing the initial findings, Tuckman amended the process to include the final stage of adjourning or mourning.
While all phases of team building are important, many leaders consider storming to be the most important stage of team development. During the storming stage, team members encounter initial obstacles and master conflict resolution. This is one of the most crucial points for building trust and forming resilient relationships.
The group development process is important because the system allows leaders to identify the correct stage of development and accurately assess the level of teamwork. The leader can then concoct an improvement plan to move team members through the development phases.
The five stages of team building do not always occur in the same order. While team development typically progresses linearly from forming to adjourning, occasionally teams may need to revisit certain steps of the progress. For instance, if the team switches leaders or multiple teammates midway through a project, then the team may revert back to
Understanding the team building stages helps a leader guide groups through the team development process. Though each individual group’s journey is unique, knowing that teams typically progress through a series of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning/mourning allows leaders to consciously shape the team building process.