The first thing you need to do is understand that disagreements and conflicts are a completely normal stage in the development of any team. During a team's "lifetime"/existence, every team goes through a series of development phases. Bruce W. Tuckmann's model, which is the most widely used, names them:

• Forming
• Storming
• Norming
• Performing

Later he has added another phase Adjourning, which is sometimes also called Mourning.

Before we get down to solving your team's collaboration problem, we need to get a handle on what characterizes the different phases. Next, I'll show you how to make your team more efficient and productive by identifying what stage the team is in.

The 5 Team Development Phases

As I said, every team goes through these phases. In each of the phases, from establishment to dissolution, there are certain feelings, thoughts and patterns of action, which it is a good idea for both you and your team to be familiar with. Such knowledge can help speed up the unproductive phases and even keep the team in the most productive phase: performing. But first to the establishment phase: What Tuckmann calls "Forming:

The forming phase
As I said, this is the establishment phase, where the team members get to know each other. This phase is often characterized by optimism and team members often enter new projects with high expectations of what they have to accomplish. Therefore, this phase is characterized by optimism and by team members behaving well and quickly starting to create common goals, values and understandings.

The storming phase
After the establishment phase, a team typically enters a more conflict-ridden period. The wheat bread days are over and reality is setting in. It now often looks as if the great expectations cannot be fulfilled and as a result conflicts will arise.

The norming phase
The team has now come out on the other side of the conflict-filled waters, and a common understanding of goals, values, norms etc. has been established. A sense of community and team spirit emerges. Productivity is higher than in the two previous phases. But a certain degree of complacency is typically seen in this phase among the team members.

The performance phase
This is the most productive (and most enjoyable) phase. Here there is less process talk and the focus is on the cases (assignments) and their solution.

Team members feel part of something bigger. And have developed an understanding that differences on a team are a strength and an advantage for the team and its goals.

Adjournment
The dissolution of the team. In any ending, it is normal for some to feel some kind of sadness. Productivity often falls in this phase, as the focus shifts to e.g. grief.

But how can you help the team move towards the Performing phase, which is the most productive and most enjoyable to be in?

Find out which phase your team is in

First, you need to identify what stage your team is in. You do this by looking at the descriptions above and seeing which one best fits your team's current state.

Is the team's cooperation e.g. characterized by banter and discussion, the team is probably in the Storming phase.

If the team is to a certain extent satisfied with the collaboration, but you still feel the team is not performing at its best, it is probably in the Norming phase.

This is how you help the team further

Once you've identified the team's stage, consider what you can do to help your team move forward. Use the suggestions below to understand your role and consider what actions you can take to help your team along the way.

A good thing can, for example, be making sure your team knows about these 5 phases. As it can reduce the frustrations in e.g. Storming the phase and help the team stay in the Performing phase despite external or internal changes.

However, be aware that this model should not be used as a diagnosis by a team. Rather, use the model to start a dialogue in and with the team. It is through an understanding of what is going on in the team, why something does not work and why something else does, that enables the team to help and develop itself to become a well-functioning team that delivers the performance that is needed .

Management actions in different team phases

• Forming: Help the team create structures, set goals, visions and direction. So the team can build the trust in each other they need to function as a team.
• Storming: If the team is in this phase, focus your efforts on conflict resolution. Here it is about the team creating common understandings of how they do things. Eg. how they solve problems, how they agree on things and how tasks should be distributed. Break down any goals and visions into smaller more manageable parts, focus on reducing confusion and also focus on creating a structure that works for the team.
• Norming: Things are going well for the team here. A certain kind of harmony has emerged between the group members. To help the team move towards the Performing phase, you as a manager can help by evaluating team processes and productivity and setting more ambitious goals.
• Performing: Things are going really well here! The team is productive and communication, feedback etc. work well. Great satisfaction. As a manager, it is your job to do what you can to support the team so that it can remain in this phase. External events, restructuring, new members or members leaving the team can send the team back into one of the previous phases.
• Adjournment: This phase is the settlement phase. And although it may seem as if there is not much for a team leader to do here, it is about ensuring that the team stays focused on the task in the period leading up to the dissolution. At the same time as ensuring space for the sadness that is invariably for team members to end a successful collaboration.