Understanding the humanistic timeline for group development is the key to team success. Just as you wouldn’t expect a six-month-old to walk, you wouldn’t expect a new team to quickly join in and perform as well. Today much of the work is accomplished through group effort, transformation teams are developed, projects are managed through group interaction, groups are formed as companies and divisions merge to co-create a unified team.
As a coach, consultant and mentor, I have been asked to help numerous newly formed or transitional teams. The first thing I do is assess where the team is in its development stages. Studies show that it takes six months for a new group to be truly productive. Yes, six months. Believe me, they are not wasting time for the first six months, they are progressing and building a strong team built on a lasting foundation.
Let’s look at the stages of group development.
The first stage is dependency and inclusion. The new team mingles, like strangers at a party. The first two months are dedicated to getting to know each other and learning about each other’s talents and abilities. They begin to weave the threads of their team, weaving the weave that represents their shared goals.
At four months, the team enters Stage Two, one of Counterdependence. As they feel safe with each other, rational disagreements arise and conflicts begin to arise. Conflict builds trust and strengthens voices while opening the door to new ideas. This is not a team in trouble. The use of guided skills to optimize this stage offers the opportunity to put the footholds at their base.
The third stage occurs about a month later when, as you work through conflict, trust and security emerge. The group is more committed, talkative and respectful with the different voices. Stage four, within six to eight months, results in a predictable, high-performing group of tightly knit colleagues focused on results. Wouldn’t all leaders, organizations, and team members want to achieve that goal?
Stage Five occurs when, perhaps due to the termination of the project, the group dissolves and its members carry the skills they learned to their next group experience. So, take a look at the groups that you are a part of or manage. What stage are they in? Create awareness in the group by informing them of the stages of development of the group. Use the information to allow the group to grow and develop at its normal rate and know that the results will be long-lasting, productive, and much more fun.