When to use it
A useful fit
Use the idea to discuss what a newly assembled or changing team needs from its leader and from one another.
Know the limits
Do not assume conflict is inevitable, harmless or evidence that a team is progressing. Harmful behaviour needs a direct response.
How to use it
- Observe how people coordinate, challenge ideas and resolve uncertainty.
- Agree working expectations and address the immediate barriers to cooperation.
- Revisit the arrangements when membership, responsibilities or delivery conditions change.
Worked example
A newly combined delivery team repeatedly duplicates work. Rather than calling this a phase to wait out, the lead clarifies ownership and sets a shared planning routine. After a new supplier joins, those agreements are revisited.
Illustrative scenario by fannarmaximus; not an official exam question.
Common pitfalls
A stage label can hide a concrete obstacle such as unclear authority or unequal access to information.
Attribution & sources
Bruce Tuckman proposed the stage model in 1965; Mary Ann Jensen co-authored its later extension in 1977. This is an original practical explanation.
The citations below identify authoritative references for this topic. They do not imply endorsement or reproduce the bodies’ competence lists.
- Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384–399.
- Tuckman, B. W. & Jensen, M. A. C. (1977). Stages of small-group development revisited. Group & Organization Studies, 2(4), 419–427.