Stages of Group

How could an understanding of the stages of group development assist Christine in leadership situations such as this one? If Christine understood the stages of group development she would have been able to recognize how the group was progressing. The stages of group development are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. These stages are something every team or group goes through. The forming stage is where the group begins to figure out where they fit into the group and what they can offer. The storming stage is one of conflict where problems begin to arise, there is tension and the group feels a higher level of emotions. The norming stage is where the group begins to work as a group and build their relationships. The performing stage is where the group begins to build its maturity and come together to get tasks completed. The adjourning stage is where the group comes to a level of completion. In this final stage the task are done and the team disbands. Based on the reading, the group in the case study seems to be in the storming stage. There is a high level of tension within the group and a sense of conflict. According to the impression I get from the reading Mike has not been to many of the meetings. This has led to him not building a connection with the team. Also if he was absent when the group discussed what each person would bring to the group and what the expectations were he might be dealing with some of the questions typically answered in the forming stage such as, “‘What can the group offer me?’ ‘What will I be asked to contribute?’ ‘Can my needs be met at the same time that I contribute to the group?’”(Schermerhorn 156)

What should Christine understand about individual membership in groups in order to build group processes that are supportive of her work group’s performance? Christine should understand that it is important to understand and incorporate all the individual differences of her team members. This diversity is what will allow them to build a better project. One theory that applies to this case is the FIRO-B theory. This theory deals with members feelings of control, inclusion and affection. Clearly there is a feeling of exclusion on Mike’s part. If at the beginning the team had highlighted what each person was bringing to the table Mike might have felt that he was a key person within the group. This might have helped to prevent his feeling of exclusion. At the current point in the project Christine