5 Stages of Group Development

Stage 1: Forming

In the Forming stage, personal relations are characterized by dependence. Group members rely on safe,

patterned behavior and look to the group leader for guidance and direction. Group members have a desire for

acceptance by the group and a need to know that the group is safe. They set about gathering impressions and

data about the similarities and differences among them and forming preferences for future subgrouping.

Rules of behavior seem to be to keep things simple and to avoid controversy. Serious topics and feelings are

avoided.

The major task functions also concern orientation. Members attempt to become oriented to the tasks as well

as to one another. Discussion centers around defining the scope of the task, how to approach it, and similar

concerns. To grow from this stage to the next, each member must relinquish the comfort of non-threatening

topics and risk the possibility of conflict.

Stage 2: Storming

The next stage, which Tuckman calls Storming, is characterized by competition and conflict in the personalrelations

dimension an organization in the task-functions dimension. As the group members attempt to

organize for the task, conflict inevitably results in their personal relations. Individuals have to bend and mold

their feelings, ideas, attitudes, and beliefs to suit the group organization. Because of "fear of exposure" or

"fear of failure," there will be an increased desire for structural clarification and commitment. Although

conflicts may or may not surface as group issues, they do exist. Questions will arise about who is going to be

responsible for what, what the rules are, what the reward system is, and what criteria for evaluation are.

These reflect conflicts over leadership, structure, power, and authority. There may be wide swings in

members’ behavior based on emerging issues