A Storming Team ...
Building a high-performing team is not a straightforward process. It is not just about finding the right people with the relevant skills, it is so much more. One of the pieces of the jigsaw that there is a requirement to understand is the stages of group development. This understanding can provide valuable insights for you within your role as a manager and leader to navigate challenges and foster effective collaboration. Another of my go to models is Tuckman's Stages of Group Development, developed by psychologist Bruce Tuckman. Tuckman, offers a roadmap for team development. The following will give you a great introduction or reminder of each of the stages of the model and simple strategies for facilitating progress.
The stages that a team will go through will be:
- 1. Forming (collection of strangers)
- 2. Storming (what is my role in all of this? Where do I want to fit in?)
- 3. Norming (I understand what I'm doing, and I can breathe a little easier, ease up on the pedal.)
- 4. Performing (I really feel part of the team, all singing from the same hymn sheets, it's exciting it's fun and I'm giving it my all.)
1. Forming:
The forming stage is the initial phase of team development. During this stage, team members come together, get acquainted, and begin to define their roles and responsibilities. There is a level of feeling a lost, unsure and possibly regret at choosing to join the team. This is natural.
You will play a crucial role in setting clear expectations, establishing team goals, and facilitating introductions. Encouraging open communication and provide opportunities for team members to share their skills and expertise, this can help build a foundation of trust and collaboration.
Strategies for the forming stage:
- Conduct team-building activities to foster relationships and establish rapport. This does not have to be 3rd party delivery. This can be small project or tasks that encourages the team sharing and working together.
- Clearly define team goals and individual roles. At this stage, this is around clarification of the role titles. For me, unless you are working in a factory style role where it is conveyor belt delivery, then the role should be evolving with time, disruptions, future trends and requirements.
- Encourage open communication and active listening
- Establish team norms and guidelines for effective collaboration. Crazy thought, could you do this in collaboration with the team?
2. Storming:
The storming stage is characterised by conflicts, disagreements, and power struggles within the team. As team members start to voice their opinions and indifferences in perspectives and approaches may arise. This is my favourite stage. You should view this stage as an opportunity for growth and innovation rather than a hindrance. Facilitate open discussions, encourage constructive feedback, and mediate conflicts to help the team overcome challenges and move forward .
Strategies for the storming stage:
- Promote active listening and respectful communication. Positive conflict is a great form of communication, do not shut it down.
- Encourage the team to address conflicts directly and find mutually beneficial solutions. Lead from the back and empower your team to act like adults.
- Provide conflict resolution training and facilitate team discussions. This is a great opportunity to discuss conflict guidelines and norms.
- Foster a culture of openness, where diverse viewpoints are valued and respected. Actively create a Psychological safe environment to have this as the norm and where solution and agreements are found.
3. Norming
The norming stage is marked by the establishment of team cohesion and a sense of shared purpose. Team members begin to understand each other's strengths and weaknesses and develop a mutual respect. You can support this stage by reinforcing positive behaviours, acknowledging contributions, and fostering a collaborative environment. Continuing to encourage team members to set shared goals, define team norms, and establish clear communication channels can further enhance team cohesion.
Strategies for the norming stage:
- Celebrate and recognise individual and team accomplishments. Encourage the team to recognise theirs and other accomplishments.
- Encourage teamwork and collaboration through joint projects or assignments.
- Establish regular team meetings to discuss progress and address concerns. This is a must and ties back into creating a Psychological safe environment.
- Empower team members to take ownership of their work and contribute to team decisions.
4. Performing
The performing stage is the pinnacle of team development, where the team achieves a high level of collaboration, productivity, and synergy. Team members have a deep understanding of their roles and responsibilities and work seamlessly together towards common goals. Continue to provide opportunities for skill development, support autonomy, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Recognise and harness the strengths of team members, you can help sustain the performing stage and drive exceptional results.
Strategies for the performing stage:
- Provide opportunities for professional development and skill enhancement. Knowing what your teams' individual goals and career aspirations will play a large part in this. Do not forget yourself.
- Foster a culture of trust, empowerment, and autonomy.
- Encourage innovation and creativity within the team. Fostering a 'learning environment' where is it ok to take and make calculated risks and errors is a phenomenal way to learn and grow.
- Regularly evaluate and celebrate team achievements.
Take the first step toward becoming a confident, effective, and impactful manager. At the 3-2 Management Development Academy, you’ll gain access to top-tier management training designed for aspiring, emerging, and new managers. Available anytime, anywhere, on your computer, phone, or tablet.
This is not classroom theory.
This is a practical, punchy, and confidence-building development programme for individuals ready to step into management, and for those already in-role but missing the tools, structure or self-assurance to lead with impact.
Whether you're aiming for your first leadership role or you have been managing without ever being shown how to manage, the 3-2 Management Development Academy gets you ready to lead, not just survive.
Who is this for?
– Individuals preparing for their first team leadership or management role
– New managers who have had no formal training
– Managers feeling out of their depth, stuck in the weeds or lacking confidence
– Organisations ready to future-proof their talent pipeline with competent, grounded leaders
Change is constant and it’s your job to keep the team steady while still delivering results. This focused, high-impact workshop gives you the real tools and mindset shifts needed to guide your team through the chaos of change without losing momentum, morale, or your mind.
You’ll learn how to:
- Strengthen the foundations of your team so they’re ready for any change, planned or sudden
- Navigate and lead your team through the stages of the Change Curve
- Spot what’s really going wrong when resistance kicks in, and deal with it strategically
- Distinguish between project management and true change leadership
- Set goals that hit ‘High-Value Outcomes’; not just tick-box completions
- Use the TRUST® framework to plan, prioritise and deliver with clarity
- Lead from the back, empowering your team while building your own leadership credibility
- Packed with real examples, practical frameworks, and a case study you’ll recognise all too well, this isn’t about theory, it’s about execution.
Who it's for:
First-line managers ready to lead with calm, clarity, and control, especially during times of uncertainty or business transformation.
This practical, hands-on session gives first-line managers the tools to take control of their time, team, and tasks; not just tick boxes.
We cut through the fluff and get real about what good resource management looks like on the ground. From identifying your biggest time-wasters to mastering prioritisation with the AC/DC® method (Action, Calendar, Delegate, Cancel), this module builds capability where it matters most — in the day-to-day decisions that shape performance.
You’ll learn how to:
- Set clear, achievable goals using the TRUST® framework
- Stop firefighting and start planning across short, medium, and long-term priorities
- Identify and manage your “time stealers” (yes, we all have them)
- Delegate with purpose and precision
- Break your day into powerful segments that protect your focus and energy
- Drive outcomes aligned to people, planet, and profit; not just deadlines
You’ll also explore the case of David, a newly promoted manager drowning in distractions, and diagnose what’s really going on beneath the chaos.
By the end of this module, you won’t just manage better. You’ll lead with clarity, structure, and impact.
Your personal brand is being built whether you're intentional about it or not. This workshop gives first-line managers the tools and insight to shape that brand deliberately and strategically.
We explore what defines your personal reputation—how you're perceived, how your behaviour and values influence that perception, and what to do when your impact doesn't match your intention. From understanding your core values to assessing your Trust Quotient, this module helps you align who you are with how you're seen.
You’ll walk away with:
- Clarity on the values that drive you, and how they show up at work
- A deep dive into how trust, credibility, and consistency influence your reputation
- An action plan to strengthen your personal brand and show up with intent
- The mindset shift from leading at the front to empowering from the back
This is not about creating a performance. It’s about owning your authenticity and leveraging it as a leadership asset.
Bold goal. Strategic moves. Exceptional outcomes.
The essential toolkit for first-line managers who need to be heard and taken seriously
This practical, no-nonsense module gives first-line managers the confidence and capability to communicate clearly, hold boundaries, and handle conversations with credibility. No fluff. Just the real-world skills to lead assertively without being passive, aggressive or apologetic.
You will learn how to:
- Communicate with clarity and confidence in any situation
- Give and receive feedback that drives action
- Set expectations and hold others accountable
- Navigate difficult conversations and resolve conflict effectively
- Build trust, psychological safety and professional respect
Designed around the 3-2 Model and the Leading from the Back approach, this module gives new and emerging managers the behavioural tools they were never taught but absolutely need.
You will leave with practical techniques, a focused action plan, and a stronger leadership presence from the start.
