Understanding the Stages of Group Development

Have you ever been in a group setting in your job or other similar type organization setting? Chances are you have, but did you ever stop to think about all the dynamics going on behind the scene in the group setting? More than likely, you did not give it much thought unless of course you were already aware of the stages of group development. Managers are responsible for meeting established goals in the organization and they accomplish these tasks through the employees within their supervisory control. As a manager, there will be times when you will convene a group to address particular projects of interest within the organization. However, bringing a mix of individuals together for the first time can be a challenge and as the manager, you must be able to navigate through those challenges. When convening a diverse group for the first time, getting down to the business at hand may be the first impulse but that could prove counter-productive or even disastrous if you do not observe certain procedures or protocol. A newly formed diverse group comprised of members of different ethnicity, race, gender, age, and handicaps typically go through five stages of development, which are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Understanding these stages of group development can help you become more effective in handling group matters.

The first stage of group development, forming, you facilitate the initial group meeting and allow for an exchange of pleasantries between members to help the group become more comfortable and learn a little about other group members. Here, they may exchange information about their position in the organization, their families, hobbies, or other similar interests. Doing this helps to “break the ice” and get the group members talking. After the members have become a little comfortable with each other, the second stage, storming is where you will see individuals trying to do what I call “jockeying” for position within the group based on what they have initially learned about the other members or what they perceive their own personal attributes can do for the group. As an example of storming, one issue could be the cultural diversity that exists between group members, while another issue could be the age differences between members and in both instances, members may not see the benefit of someone’s perspective who may be from a different ethnic group or someone older or younger than them, and you as a manager must work through these differences to allow each member to understand how they can actually benefit from the differences between members of the group and learn something new from someone with a perspective totally distinct from their own. As a manger, you should give particular attention to the storming stage and allow for the settling of differences in a professional manner between group members as it can hinder the progress of the group and show up later in future meetings if you overlook this stage or do not observe the protocol.

In the third stage, norming, group members are beginning to meld into a cohesive unit because everyone is now aware of what their particular positions are in the group [partly based on the outcome of the storming stage] and have settled into their particular roles. It is at this point you begin to see more cooperation amongst group members because they are becoming clear on their direction. The fourth stage, performing, is when the members are now working like synchronized parts in a machine and meeting the group’s objectives. At this point, you may even see the enhancement of relationships that may carry on outside the group because of similar interests some of the members share. The final stage, adjourning is when the group has accomplished its objectives and the group disbands. In this stage, you may even notice some sadness in some of the members because of the relationships that have developed between them in the group and the disbandment means they will no longer work together. However, in some instances if the group is permanent, this final stage is not part of the process and the group activity continues. There is no specific amount of time for each stage to come to fruition, as this is mainly a result of the dynamics of the specific group members and the ability of the manager to facilitate each stage in the process. However, in the interest of time allowed to complete assigned mission goals, the manager should gauge the ability of the group to work together and vigorously work to ensure an expeditious but smooth process flow while going through the stages of group development. Ensuring the members go through this process will help make meeting organization goals a much easier progression as opposed to neglecting these stages altogether and stunting the achievement of assigned tasks.

Group development is part of organizational effectiveness and understanding the stages of group development can help your group members work better together as a team in meeting your organization’s goals. Additionally, you become a better manager and help move the company into the realm of being a high performing team, which can only mean a great bottom line. Until next time, I am Dr. Anthony Spivey, keep thinking BIG!