In order for a project to have every chance of success, the project managers role is to monitor the teams interactions and get the team to perform as quickly as possible. A common tool is the “forming-norming-storming-performing” cycle by Tuckman.
This model simplifies the incredibly complex environment of teams and provides a useful insight into the life cycle of team formation and dynamics. Understanding this model and which phase of the performance cycle your team is in, is critical.
An important component of this model, and one that is often overlooked, is that the direction through the cycle is by no means “one way”. Any change to the group dynamics, be it a new team member, the departure of a team member, or a change in the stakeholder group can cause even the highest performing teams to drop back into the storming or forming phases of the performance cycle.
Remember, the goal is to get to the “performing” stage as quickly as possible, and to stay there as LONG as possible…
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