Fluent teams

The five phases of team development

• Form phase . In the initial phase of a team, the members are feeling their way. In addition to creating security and trust, it is important to have common goals. Team members expect direction and clarity.
• Storm phase. Fluent teams undergo a conflict phase in their development. Conflicts arise at vision and target levels, around the manner of collaboration, because there are conflicting interests and/or because of interpersonal things going on. Through built trust, they understand that this phase is part of growing together. It is precisely by facing the undercurrent with vulnerability and open communication that even more of people's qualities are being used. The team members feel more involved, which increases the quality and wisdom of decisions. Agreements actually lead to action and outcomes.
• Norm phase. If the team now wants to grow from storm phase to the norm phase, tight control must be relaxed to initiate the group process. The team learns to take responsibility for its effective function. In this phase, common values and standards are made explicit. It becomes clear what the team considers important through everyone’s contribution.
• Performance phase . There is high-quality performance because tasks are optimally undertaken. Creative thinking and doing produce outcomes which make it clear that the team is more than the sum of its parts. Successes are celebrated around the benefits being reaped. Everyone works apparently effortlessly within the team in which the energy flows.
• Farewell phase. When the team's task is over and it ceases to exist, the process of farewell begins. Doing this in the right way releases energy for new partnerships.