Merging two retail companies would be complex, especially when it came to the employees. Cultural Differences would need to be addressed. Each company would have their own way of doing things and values. We would have to come together and decide what would be the best for the current company. We would have to address and resistance to change. We could have some employees that might feel threatened or uncertain about the merger and this could lead to resistance. We would also have to look at role redundancies. How many of our current roles are overlapping and do we need all these roles. This could create uncertainty about job security and responsibilities. To move the employees successfully through to the "performing" stage of team development I would lay out a clear plan. My plan would focus on clear communication that kept everyone informed about the merger and timelines and how it will affect each group. I would also address role clarity and clearly define roles and responsibilities to reduce uncertainty and any overlap. I would make sure that I had a strong leadership group to model our company$$s behavior and vision and inspire employees to work together and create a great work environment. Lastly, I would make sure that we had a recognition and rewards program. I think acknowledging and reward our employees$$ efforts and achievements within a transition, can boost morale and motivation to create a good working environment. By addressing these issues and proactively be there guiding your team this will help them reach the "performing" stage where they work together efficiently and effectively towards the companies$$ goals.