Bruce Tuckman's Stages Of Team Development

January 28th, 1986, is one of those days in the history of the United States that will never be forgotten. That is the day that the space shuttle Challenger explode 73 seconds after it lifted off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, killing the seven people on board, including a civilian school teacher. After an intensive investigation into the cause of the disaster, it was determined to have been the result of a faulty O-ring that allowed fuel to escape during the “burn” which resulted in the explosion. However, it was not a complete surprise to the flight engineers of Morton Thiokol that the explosion occurred. They knew that the O-rings could fail in the freezing temperatures that the Challenger would encounter. They even brought it to the …show more content…
The forming of teams is a process that incorporates several development stages that take place over a period of time. Bruce Tuckman named the different stages forming, storming, norming, and performing, later adding a final stage, adjourning (Tuckman & Jensen, 1977). The stages are the likely sequence that team will go through during the life cycle of the team (Tuckman & Jensen, 1977). Forming is described as the stage where teams are put together and the new members feel anxious as they determine where they fit into the team and what part they will play on it. Team members at this stage get to know other members (Mind Tools, n.d.). Following forming, is the storming stage. This is the point in which teams may fail as conflict in the group develops and team members realize the differing work styles of members, and people become frustrated (Mind Tools, n.d.). As the team moves into the norming stage, differences begin to resolve and members develop an appreciation for other member’s strengths (Mind Tools, n.d.). Team members at this point develop a trust and cohesiveness among group members (Tuckman & Jensen, 1977). The performing stage brings with it a team that works hard and without friction, which leads to the accomplishment of the team’s goals (Mind Tools, n.d.). The final stage in the sequence of group development is adjourning. Adjourning can be a difficult …show more content…
Under the leadership of a charismatic, visionary leader, teams exhibit high performance and morale when the leader comes in following a poor leader. Transformational leadership is about making change happen. Transformation is good for the team, but the leader must be careful to change things at a pace that is comfortable to team members (Suttle, n.d.).
When it comes to successful team management, the best form of leadership is participative. Members are given a role to fill, and input from everyone is expected. This leadership style promotes creativity among team members and works well in a team environment. Team members are made to feel valued as they are considered to be an integral part of the group (Suttle, n.d.). While this form of leadership is important in successful team management, there are additional considerations when leading multicultural teams.
Diversity among the team members of a multicultural team requires the leader to consider the beliefs, attitudes, customs, and the thought processes of its members. Recognizing and accepting these differences will make the team more effective. Communication can be difficult when all parties involved are from the same culture, but it is made even more difficult when language and nonverbal communication conveys a completely different meaning among team members (Moon,