Groups and teams go through fairly predictable stages of development, from birth to maturity to eventual decline. One theory proposes five stages of development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. This activity is important because research suggests that high-performing groups and teams that are able to successfully navigate the development process tend to display more productive energy toward accomplishing tasks.

The goal of this activity is to challenge your knowledge of the five stages of group development.

First, imagine that you have been assigned to a project team at your job. Read each description of an experience you might have on the team and match it to the stage of group and team development that its description best represents.

1. Adjourning
2. Forming
3. Performing
4. Norming
5. Storming

Match each of the options above to the items below.

• Members arent very trusting of one another; they are spending time assessing what their contribution will be to this particular group as this is currently unclear.

• Members seem to be coming out of their shells, grouping into small alliances, and even arguing about the groups goals.

• Members decide on their regular meeting days/times, rules about tardiness or non-attendance, and set expectations regarding how they will interact with one another.

• Members of your 8-person team break off into smaller groups of 2 or 3 and work on their sub-groups individual tasks.

• Members get together to discuss what they have learned and to share memories.