First-time manager tip: Intro to the Forming Storming Norming Performing model

Illustration by Ana

Do you know the 4 stages new teams go through on their way to high performance?

1. Forming

2. Storming

3. Norming

4. Performing

The forming, storming, norming and performing model is a team organizational system proposed in 1965 by psychological researcher, Bruce Tuckman.

This model is a must-learn concept for first-time managers or new organizational leaders who want to increase their effectiveness.

Read on to learn how the FSNP model works. For those who prefer the video version:

Stage 1: Forming

In stage 1, forming, a new team’s members acquaint with one another, and the team meets to discuss its tasks and goals. At this stage, members primarily think and act as individuals, and remain reserved or formal.

Key actions that support a team’s development beyond stage 1 include :

1. Proper introductions

2. Defining team expectations

3. Defining early team roles (including a clear leader)

4. Setting ground rules

Stage 2: Storming

In stage 2, storming, team performance declines as the team starts to experience conflict and a hierarchy appears.

Members don’t yet have experience in how to navigate differences in opinion and style and this creates conflict and also possibly emotional reactions.

Members also still tend to think individually and competitively, rather than as a team. As in relationships, many teams do not progress past stage 2 of storming, and may break apart. Unless a team learns to successfully navigate conflict, it will not progress to stage 3. Avoiding conflict is not a working strategy, either as conflict will eventually reappear.

Key actions that support a team’s development beyond stage 2 include:

1. Reiterating shared goals

2. Identifying early team wins

3. Clear, honest communication

4. Active listening, and structures that facilitate retrospectives, conflict mediation and feedback exchange.

Stage 3: Norming

For teams that make it to stage 3, norming, team performance improves as the team knows its purpose/goals, is more comfortable in working together, can navigate conflict as it arises, and team members feel trust in one another.

Key actions that support a team’s development beyond stage 3 include:

1. Recognizing accomplishments at both individual and team-level

2. Identifying new areas to continue developing as a team

3. Revisiting roles as key new tasks or goals arise

4. Keeping the structures for retrospectives and feedback exchange going

5. Ensuring dissent is protected

A key risk is if team members prioritize collaboration over conflict, and smother disagreements, which can lead to group think and smothered innovation.

Stage 4: Performing

In stage 4, performing, team chemistry is established and trust and output is high.

Members act according to team needs over individual needs and performance is consistent, having established clear roles, conflict management, and team-specific norms.

A team in stage 4 can also operate with little guidance from leadership.

Key actions to maintain stage 4 include:

1. Maintaining important structures from prior stages (and documenting these)

2. Thoughtfully managing team membership changes (especially leadership changes)

Bonus stage 5: Adjourning

There is also a 5th stage of adjourning after the goals/purpose have been completed, which includes the celebration of the team’s efforts, and then disbanding.

Notable details

• Teams tend not to skip stages and must go through each to get to performing at their best collaborative potential.

• If the team makeup is changed (members are added/removed or leadership shifts) the team will likely return to stage 2 storming again.

• Even without membership changes, it’s also normal for teams to return to storming again as the team’s context, responsibilities, or goals change

That’s all for today! Stay tuned to The Musing Mind for more leadership takeaways and sign up for newsletter to get more new manager advice and inspiration delivered regularly.