Forming, Storming, Norming & Performing

With countless books, articles, podcasts, and videos on “how to be a great leader,” it can be hard to know where to begin. How do leaders create high performing teams? Especially when the first real experience of leadership comes from bringing people together to perform as a team with little support or preparation.

 

Leadership is often described in terms of vision, strategy, and execution. But beneath these visible levers lies a quieter, equally powerful driver of success: team psychology.

 

Which reminded us of one timeless framework which continues to resonate for its simplicity and relevance: Bruce Tuckman’s Model of Team Development.

 

First proposed in 1965, this Stages of Team Development model describes, how teams move through different stages as they evolve: forming, storming, norming, and performing.

 

Much of this stems from the human behaviours and how we as individuals behave in groups when we know, or don’t know, others.

 

Think about your own experience. Whether it’s pulling together a team to run a community event or leading a global organisation, the way people feel, think, and behave often follows the same patterns. From our work as culture consultants, we see that while leaders are energised by the forming stage and eager to reach performing, it is usually the middle stage – storming – that decides whether a team stalls or thrives. And yet this is often the stage that leaders try to rush through, or bypass altogether. Both of which can cause more long-term damage to performance and success.

 

What Are The Stages of Tuckman’s Model?

Forming

This is the starting point for any new team. People are typically polite, cautious, and focused on working out roles, purpose, and boundaries. Teams can slip back into this stage when new members join, or when a new leader takes charge, creating sub-groups of people who know each other better than others.

 

Just last week, we worked with a team who believed they were already high performing. In reality, they were back in the forming stage: although they all knew one another, they had been assembled as a brand-new project team to deliver a cross-functional strategic initiative. Taking the time to establish the foundations of a forming team was critical to setting them up for future success.

 

Storming

Teams often revisit this stage multiple times throughout their lifecycle. It’s when tensions rise and differences in styles, opinions, and expectations become more visible.

 

While it can feel uncomfortable, storming is a vital part of growth. A client we worked with last week was experiencing intense storming, largely because they had skipped over the forming stage.

 

Ground rules, roles, and ways of working hadn’t been properly established, so conflict was surfacing. Storming often escalates when the first tight deadlines loom or external pressures start to mount.

 

Norming

At this stage, the team begins to find its rhythm. Roles and responsibilities become clearer, ground rules are in place, and trust starts to grow.

 

People feel more comfortable sharing ideas and giving feedback, and collaboration improves as conflicts are worked through.

 

A client we supported recently reached norming after a difficult storming phase; once they agreed on how decisions would be made and clarified ownership of tasks, the atmosphere shifted noticeably. Energy that was previously tied up in tensions which with our support was released into problem-solving and progress.

 

Performing

This is the stage every team aspires to reach.

 

Trust is high, roles are clear, and collaboration flows with ease. The team is focused on delivering outcomes rather than managing tensions, and individuals feel confident taking initiative because they know they have each other’s support.

 

We recently worked with a leadership team who had reached performing: meetings were solution-focused, responsibilities were owned without reminders, and innovation was encouraged. The level of psychological safety was high because with strong foundations in place, everyone’s energy could be channelled into achieving results rather than navigating process or conflict.

 

At this stage the team operates at a high level of trust and autonomy, delivering results with energy and cohesion and overcoming challenges together.

 

Adjourning (Or Mourning)

Whilst not technically included in the original model this is a vital stage for many where any high-performing team needs to celebrate success.

 

This stage, describes when the team comes to the end of its journey and morphs into new teams or ceases to exist all together e.g. during a restructure or when a project has been delivered. With the project complete, objectives met, people begin to move on to new roles or responsibilities.

 

While there can be a sense of pride in what’s been achieved, there is often a feeling of loss too, especially when strong bonds have formed over the duration of the team.

 

We recently worked with a project team who, after successfully delivering a major transformation programme, felt a mix of celebration and sadness as they disbanded.

 

Recognising this emotional aspect is vital and important, yet it’s often overlooked by many leaders who move on to the next task or project. In our experience, leaders who take time to reflect on successes, celebrate contributions, and formally close the team, will create a positive ending that strengthens motivation for future work and success.

 

Tuckman’s model reminds us that high-performing teams don’t appear overnight – they are built through a process which is often messy and complicated.

 

Storming isn’t a setback; it is a sign that people care enough to challenge and engage and can be a critical stage of any successful teams development journey. Leaders who lean into this stage with openness, clarity, and empathy give their teams the best chance of reaching true performance.

 

Below are some insights to help leaders embrace and lead through each of the stages:

 

Forming: Build the Foundations

At this stage many leaders feel a mixture of excitement, optimism and a sprinkling of worry at the scale of the tasks ahead.

 

Setting the tone and leaning into these emotions and feeling can help build strong foundations as well as:

 

• Setting a clear purpose, vision, and objectives from the start with the teams buy-in
• Facilitating meaningful introductions that highlight each person’s strengths
• Establishing mutually agreed ground rules and ways of working together
• Leading from the front by encouraging questions, clarifying expectations and helping to embrace uncertainty
• Creating early opportunities for quick wins to build confidence and make an impact

 

Storming: Support & Navigate Conflicts

At this stage many leaders feel extremely uncomfortable as it is human instinct to try to reduce or avoid conflict. However, knowing as a leader that guiding people through this stage will ensure everyone comes out stronger is crucial.

 

This can include:

 

• Normalising conflict as part of growth and naming it when it appears
• Stepping in early to mediate tensions, supporting individuals to voice concerns and reducing risks of escalation
• Reframing disagreements around shared goals instead of personal differences is a crucial skill
• Role modelling calm and respectful dialogue, and inviting multiple perspectives is invaluable so everyone is heard
• At times clarifying or revisiting roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes can help deliver improvements

 

Norming: Strengthen & Facilitate Collaboration

Many leaders feel relief as this stage is entered, and can at times step away too quickly leading to regression back into storming.

 

This stage is about encouraging the shoots of trust which may be building, supporting the team members to continue to collaborate whilst remaining true to the purpose of the team.

 

Actions leaders can take include:

• Reinforce agreed norms and recognise behaviours that support them day to day
• Encourage peer-to-peer feedback and shared accountability
• Facilitate team-building activities to deepen trust and continue progress
• Involve the team in problem-solving rather than providing all the answers
• Celebrate progress and highlight examples of effective collaboration

 

Performing: Enable & Empower Autonomy

At this point it can feel like “my job as leader here is done”, but whilst there is an opportunity to step back this is not the time to step away completely as often curveballs mean the team need to know you are there as a leader.

 

The leaders role swaps top focus on removing obstacles for their team and steps which can help include:

 

• Step back and allow the team to take ownership of delivery whilst being there is needed
• Empower individuals to make decisions within their remit and support these decisions
• Focus on removing obstacles and securing resources for the team
• Encourage innovation and calculated risk-taking ensuring any mistakes are learnt from
• Continuously link the team’s work to wider organisational goals and impact

 

Adjourning/Mourning: Lead & Close with Purpose

Often leaders get pulled into a new team and find this stage one of the easiest to overlook or avoid. However, any great leader will be reflective with the team and celebrate successes and review learnings for everyone going forward.

 

This can include:

 

• Take time to reflect on and celebrate the team’s achievements including individuals
• Publicly acknowledge individual and collective contributions – externally and internally
• Capture lessons learned to carry forward into future teams
• Provide space to discuss the emotional side of ending together and alone
• Ensure members transition smoothly into new roles or projects with the full support of their old team members

 

Next Steps

As you can see, and will have experienced, every team will pass through these stages in their own way, sometimes moving forward quickly and other times circling back when new challenges or changes arise.

 

The role of a leader is not to rush the process, but to recognise where the team is and provide the right support at the right time.

 

By setting strong foundations in forming, leaning into conflict during storming, reinforcing collaboration in norming, empowering in performing, and closing well in adjourning, leaders can guide their teams through the full journey. Thus turning groups of individuals into cohesive, high-performing teams that deliver lasting impact across organisations.