The Four Elements of a Team

Hello Champion: 

Teamwork is an element in the sports world that needs to be cultivated. Every coach knows that this is a difficult thing to build no matter the circumstances. Building a team culture takes a lot of time and effort to effectively implement. Today we are going to look at Tuckerman’s model for building a team.

His model consists of four elements. These elements make up high performance teamwork: forming, storming, norming, and performing. 

The first stage in this process is forming. This is the stage in which people first meet and get to know each other. During this element, team members are on their best behavior, and trying to learn more about each other.

The next stage is storming. This stage is immediately after forming when the individuals in the group show more of their true colors. This can end up leading to conflict and friction within the group. It is crucial to transition through this stage as quickly as possible in order to preserve the team. 

“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success.” - Babe Ruth

The next stage is norming. This stage is encompassed by the team resolving their differences and respecting the leaders authority. This stage is crucial for teams coming together as they begin to offer constructive criticism in order to better the team as a whole. 

The next and final stage is the performing stage. This stage is the most rewarding stage as you finally get to see the fruits of your labor. The teams is working in flow and is achieving peak performance. All great teams function in this realm.

As the leader of the team, you must tweak your process in order to successfully build a positive team dynamics. 

Follow these three steps to make your next team the best one yet: 

    1.    Creating a highly effective team is a difficult process, do not expect to create perfect teamwork right away. 

    2.    The storming stage is the most crucial stage because if this stage does not end quickly enough the team can fall apart. 

    3.    While you’re creating this team, identify which stage your team is in based on the descriptions and think of whats next in the process and how you will take the next step. 

Remember to have fun along the way because there is nothing more important than creating a solid team chemistry.

The WTMG Team