Organizational Behavior (Stephen Robbins)

forming. Formingis characterized by a great deal of uncertainty about the

group’s purpose, structure, and leadership. Members are “testing the waters”

to determine what types of behaviour are acceptable. This stage is complete

when members have begun to think of themselves as part of a group.

• Stage II: Storming.Do you remember how some people in your group just
  didn’t seem to get along, and sometimes power struggles even emerged? These
  reactions are typical of the stormingstage, which is one of intragroup con-
  flict. Members accept the existence of the group, but resist the constraints that
  the group imposes on individuality. Furthermore, there is conflict over who
  will control the group. When this stage is complete, a relatively clear hierarchy
  of leadership will emerge within the group.
  Some groups never really emerge from the storming stage, or they move
  back and forth through storming and the other stages. A group that remains
  forever planted in the storming stage may have less ability to complete the
  task because of all the interpersonal problems.


• Stage III: Norming.Many groups resolve the interpersonal conflict and reach
  the third stage, in which close relationships develop and the group demon-
  strates cohesiveness. There is now a strong sense of group identity and cama-
  raderie. The group develops norms, acceptable standards of behaviour that
  are shared by the group’s members. All groups have established norms that

154 Part 2Striving for Performance

forming The first stage in group
development, characterized by much
uncertainty.

storming The second stage in
group development, characterized by
intragroup conflict.

norms Acceptable standards of
behaviour within a group that are
shared by the group’s members.

Forming

Pre-group

Storming

Norming

Performing

Adjourning

Individual issues

Dependence/

interdependence

Return to

independence

Group issues

“How do I

fit in?”

“Why are

we here?”

“What’s my

role here?”

“Who is in

charge and who

does what?”

“What do the

others expect

of me?”

“Can we agree

on roles and

work as a

team?”

“How do I

best perform?”

“Can we do

the job

properly?”

“What’s next?”

“How do we

disband?”

Independence

EXHIBIT 5-1 Stages of Group Development and Accompanying Issues