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Five Stages of Team Development


    This week we learned about the five stages of team development defined by Gina Abudi from Project Smart. The five stages of team development consist of: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Each stage is crucial to understand a group's dynamic and focus on healthy team development. Of all the stages, adjourning may just be the hardest.

    In the adjourning phase, "the project is coming to an end, and the team members are moving off into different directions" (Abudi, 2010).  In my own life, I have worked as a volunteer or employee for many large projects. One that comes to mind was when I helped organize the physical activity portion of a Summer Camp. A few years ago, I worked as a receptionist in a free gym funded by a local church for the community to utilize. Each year the church hosts a Vacation Bible School summer camp, I was put in charge of organizing and gathering materials for the activities that the kids would do each day of the camp. I collaborated with my boss and his assistant mainly. It was a great group effort and took months of planning. After the event was over, I resigned a few weeks after because of my personal schedule and the fact that I got a different job, so in a way this project was a bit of a final goodbye to the group I was working with. In addition, this last year I worked to set up and facilitate my work's summer camp. In this group, I worked with my director and my supervising teacher. Our goals were to create a curriculum, design the class and outdoor layout, and 

    In addition to this story, I have had countless other group work projects that have come to an end. As a teacher, our group projects are on timelines synonymous with the academic year. The adjourning phase of these group projects often feels bittersweet if the group is healthy, and I often feel disappointed that the project is over. However, when there are unhealthy behaviors in the group, I feel relief that it is over. I have found that the reason healthy groups are hard to say goodbye to, is because of the friendships and work ethic that was created. In addition, I enjoy the collaborational aspect of group projects, so the ending would obviously be my least favorite part.

    Groups in which the individuals are all high-performing would be harder to leave if you are also a high-performing person. If you are not a high-performing individual, you may feel some relief when the project is over. In addition, groups that have clear and established norms may be hard to depart from if the established norms were in your favor. Meaning, if you liked your role and status within the group, it may be disappointing to see the group reach the adjourning stage.

    I have yet to experience a particularly sad ending, but thus far, the end of my time collaborating to pull off a summer camp was the most difficult ending. I had a great time collaborating with my boss and his assistant, and to work with them was such a joy. While I was at this job, I often had to work alone. So time spent working with others was very enjoyable. At the end of this project, we celebrated with food. I am a big "foodie," and I love eating, especially when other people pay for it. So celebrating finished projects with food is a must for me. If my workplace does not provide catering when a project is finished, I will usually treat myself to a special home-cooked meal.

    I am still uncertain of how the stage of adjourning fits with my unique situation. I am currently taking double the workload so that I can graduate sooner. So instead of staying with the same cohort, I lose contact with them when we no longer have the same classes because I am ahead of them. So in a way, every two to four months I have to say goodbye to the cohort I was a part of. So in a way, I am reaching the adjourning phase of group development much faster than others in the program. Each time it is bittersweet, but the motivation to finish the program quickly and with my best foot forward is motivating.

    Adjourning is essential, as it is a necessary part of life. All things come to an end, so at some point, a group or group project must also end. What makes it essential is that the end of a group also signifies the beginning of another. The benefit of adjourning is that now, each individual has grown in their abilities and their skillset, making them more capable to solve problems in a different setting.

References:
Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.php

Comments

  1. marieAugust 14, 2021 at 7:06 PM

    It is very hard doing an accelerated program, everything moves so fast and the fact that you are taking more than one course at a time it is very hard to keep contact when you are never with the same group, its as if you are on replay, I like how you touched on the adjourning process as the growth abilities and the way this can and will help in problem solving and different mindsets.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nicole SchabowAugust 15, 2021 at 6:43 AM

    I find that groups that are high-functioning motivate their members to do well. I have also been in groups that I cannot wait to leave because they are not functioning appropriately. Good for you for doing the accelerated program. I imagine that can be challenging. I am not sure I could do it. Bravo!

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