Stages of Team Growth
Bruce Tuckman 1965 had a theory that all teams must go through several stages before going through several stages before being able to function properly. There are five stages of team growth in total: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Adjourning. Here are the five stages of team growth:
Stage 1 – Forming
This stage includes feelings of excitement, pride in being chosen and optimism. Behaviours are aimed at attempting to understand the task and decide how it will be completed. Within this stage each member of the group will be observing each other. Ineffective communication can happen at this stage. The member may also be: defining data, defining group behaviour and group interaction, initial discussions can be off and the team may not have accomplished everything they wanted to at the end of this stage. This is normal as each member is getting to know each other on roles according to strengths and weaknesses. The goal of the team may be to try and help a service user become more independent.
Stage 2 – Storming
This stage includes feelings of frustration because the task may be harder than they thought and some members may want to do certain things their own way. Behaviours may include arguing even when the members agree on the task at hand. Behaviours may be to make the service user more independent. Some members may start to question the wisdom of the task which can create tension. This is normal as the team members are beginning to understand one another, for example the nurse, social worker and care assistant understand each other to meet the needs of the service user. This stage is still classed as ineffective communication but gradually will start to form into effective communication.
Stage 3 – Norming
If the group can grasp storming, the members will begin to reconcile competing loyalties. This will include feeling of acceptance and ability to express critism constructively. Behaviours may include more of an attempt to be friendlier and avoid arguments and conflict. As a team learns to work together less energy is devoted to each individual differences. This is to make the service user more independent and can be seen as effective communication.

Stage 4 – Performing
The team will have now settled every individual’s relationships and expectations of each other. This stage will include feelings of not only acceptance but