Working cohesively as a team - Learning from Bruce Tuckman

In a progressively knowledge-intensive world, the most innovative organization can see the face of failure if the team works in the organization are not coordinated with the organization’s vision and mission. It’s inevitable in the modern times to keep leadership and teamwork separate. For any institution, it accomplishes it’s both strategic and tactical goals through effective leadership and comprehensive team effort. Poor leadership cannot drive an empowered team to triumph, and similarly, strong leadership cannot aspire to be victorious with a discouraged and an inexperienced team (Sohmen, 2013, p. 2).

Understanding the importance of teamwork in the modern era, there have been many intellects who have focused heavily on the practice of cooperation for organizational effectiveness.

Stages of Group Development – Bruce Tuckman

 Considering the importance of group work and the challenges interlinked with it, Bruce Tuckman proposed the four phases of group development, which can allow managers to align the team in one direction. It’s critical for teams to apply these steps to grow, to face challenges, to understand problems and suggest viable solutions, also to devise effective plans and deliver desired outcomes (Bonebright, 2010, p. 113)

1.    Forming

It’s the first step of the model, where the group gets familiar to the objective, creates norms, and examines the limitations for interpersonal and goal-oriented behaviors. In this stage, team members develop bonds with the leaders, organizational procedures and with each other

2.    Storming

As the name suggests, this highlight and deals with the intergroup conflicts, which happen due to rift around personality traits and because there is a lack of unity. In this part of the stage, the team members often become aggressive and hostile towards each other and the team leader because they are keen to secure their self-interest more than the group interest. This thought is backed up by emotional responses and resistance towards the change.

3.    Norming

This is the stage where group members accept each other’s differences and share the personal point of view. In this phase, teams have developed the right equation to work efficiently and share mental models. The group members avoid task-related conflict to ensure harmony

4.    Performing

The team has converted into a problem-solving instrument where each member plays a role in supporting each other. The functions and responsibilities have become flexible, and the group members are motivated to channelize their energy into the task (Bonebright, 2010, p. 114)

In the modern times, where managers are often challenged by intergroup conflicts and polarization amongst the team members, Tuckman’s model of small group development can facilitate employers to bring harmony amongst the workers (Tuckman & Jensen, 1977)

Team alone remains incomplete, and good leadership is also to provide direction to the team and so that they can work together as one unit. It’s pivotal to comprehend that teams are formed by people and not by machines. Therefore, the management needs to instill a value of ownership and belongingness amongst the people so that they can perform efficiently and hence, contribute towards the ultimate success of the organization.

Works Cited

Bonebright, A. D. (2010). 40 years of storming: a historical review of Tuckman's model of small group development. Human Resource Development International, 13 (1), 111-120.

Sohmen, D. S. (2013). Leadership and Teamwork: Two Sides of the Same Coin. Journal of IT and Economic Development, 4(2), 1-18.

Tuckman, B. W., & Jensen, M. A. (1977). Stages of Small-Group Development Revisited. Group & Organization Studies, 2(4), 419-427.