Team building and development - Team development models

Learning Outcomes

After reading this article, you will be able to identify and differentiate key team development models including Tuckman’s and Drexler/Sibbet’s, understand the phases a team moves through, and recognize the practical implications for building and supporting an effective, high-performing project team. This prepares you to answer PMP-style questions on team formation, performance, and leadership interventions at each stage.

PMP Syllabus

For PMP, you are required to understand how project teams develop over time and what practical steps can be taken to build high-performing teams throughout the project life cycle. Pay special attention to:

• The stages of team development and characteristic behaviors at each stage.
• The main team development models, including Tuckman’s Ladder and Drexler/Sibbet’s Model.
• Appropriate leadership actions at different team stages.
• How to facilitate team formation, team building activities, and performance improvements.
• How team development applies in both predictive and agile environments.
• The characteristics of a high-performing team and the importance of trust and open communication.
• The use of team charters, ground rules, and feedback mechanisms to support team culture and performance.
• Handling conflict and optimizing performance through targeted interventions.

Test Your Knowledge

Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, remember to look more closely at that area during your revision.

1. Which is the correct sequence of stages in Tuckman’s Ladder of team development?
   1. Introducing, Planning, Performing, Closing, Adjourning
   2. Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning
   3. Initiating, Executing, Monitoring, Performing, Closing
   4. Recruiting, Orienting, Working, Reviewing, Ending
2. During which phase of team development is conflict most likely to appear?
   1. Forming
   2. Storming
   3. Norming
   4. Performing
3. Which leadership action is most effective when a team is in the “Norming” stage?
   1. Micromanage team tasks
   2. Withdraw from involvement
   3. Encourage collaboration and shared responsibility
   4. Ignore team issues
4. What is the primary advantage of a team charter in supporting team development?
   1. Assign individual rewards
   2. Establish formal ground rules and expectations
   3. Monitor schedule
   4. Replace need for communication plan

Introduction

Project success relies on building a capable, committed team and supporting its growth into a high-performance group. Teams do not suddenly become high-performing by accident; they pass through recognizable stages and require active management focus at each phase. Understanding these stages and common models equips you to accelerate team effectiveness, anticipate challenges, and choose the right intervention at the right time throughout the project. Both predictive and agile projects demand skills in developing teams—this is tested heavily for PMP.

Team Development and Team Building – Why This Matters

Every project is a unique collaboration. Project teams frequently bring together people with diverse skills, backgrounds, and personalities. Before they can deliver results, individuals must transform into a tightly knit unit. The speed and success of this transformation can determine project outcomes. Team development models provide practical frameworks for project managers to recognize, anticipate, and address the challenges at each phase, thus building high morale, trust, and productivity.

Team Development Models

Tuckman’s Stages of Team Development (“Tuckman’s Ladder”)

The Tuckman model describes five predictable developmental stages all project teams pass through:

1. Forming: Team members are introduced. Ambiguity is high; individuals are polite and tentative.
2. Storming: Conflicts arise as members assert opinions and roles. Competing priorities, misunderstandings, or personality clashes may emerge.
3. Norming: Team agrees on rules and processes, roles are clarified, and working relationships improve.
4. Performing: The team delivers results efficiently, trusts each other, and focuses on project objectives.
5. Adjourning: The project concludes, the team disbands, and members move on to new roles or assignments.

Key Term: Tuckman’s Ladder A model outlining five key team development stages: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning.

The Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model

This model provides a more detailed breakdown of the team development journey, consisting of seven steps:

1. Orientation: Why am I here? Team members establish purpose.
2. Trust Building: Who are you? Team builds mutual trust.
3. Goal Clarification: What are we doing? Purpose and objectives are clarified.
4. Commitment: How will we do it? Team agrees on approaches and roles.
5. Implementation: Who does what, when, where?
6. High Performance: How can we excel?
7. Renewal: Why continue? Team reviews, adapts, and either sustains or moves on.

Key Term: Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model A seven-stage model detailing team development from orientation and trust building through to high performance and renewal.

Main Features and Applied Benefits

Both Tuckman’s and Drexler/Sibbet’s models help project managers:

• Understand that conflict is normal and even productive at certain stages.
• Recognize the need for clear roles, vision, shared goals, and feedback loops.
• Choose suitable team-building activities, training, and leadership styles at each phase.

Building High-Performing Teams

A high-performing team achieves strong results, adapts rapidly, and maintains high morale. Key characteristics include:

• Trust among members
• Shared vision and agreed ground rules
• Open, respectful communication
• Clear roles and shared responsibility
• Willingness to resolve conflict productively
• Continuous learning and self-improvement

Key Term: High-Performing Team A team that collaborates effectively, delivers consistent results, and continuously seeks improvement.

Team Charters and Ground Rules

A team charter sets the standard for behavior, clarifies roles and responsibilities, and creates agreed ground rules for meetings, communication, and decision making.

Key Term: Team Charter A document developed by the team (often with the project manager), outlining working agreements, values, ground rules, roles, and norms.

Ground rules typically cover punctuality, respectful listening, one person speaks at a time, handling disagreements, confidentiality, and how feedback is given and received.

Supporting Team Development in Predictive vs Agile Environments

• In predictive projects, the project manager usually leads formal team building, conflict management, and monitoring of performance.
• In agile projects, teams are often self-organizing, with managers/coaches supporting team ownership, empowerment, and collective decision-making.

Key Term: Self-Organizing Team A group that manages its own work, shares responsibility, and collectively decides on task allocation and problem solving.

Appropriate Leadership Actions at Each Stage

• Forming: Clarify roles, set vision, facilitate introductions.
• Storming: Address conflict, encourage open discussion, clarify expectations.
• Norming: Enable collaboration, build shared responsibility.
• Performing: Delegate, encourage ownership, sustain motivation.
• Adjourning: Recognize achievements, support transition.

Worked Example 1.1

A new cross-functional project team has just assembled. Team members are polite, hesitant to speak up, and uncertain of roles. The project manager organizes an orientation meeting, clarifies project vision, assigns an easy initial group task, and encourages open questions.

Answer: The team is in the “Forming” stage. The project manager’s actions focus on clarity, inclusion, and setting expectations—appropriate for this phase.

Worked Example 1.2

Your team has been together for several weeks. Recently, frequent disagreements about task priorities and approaches have caused tension. Two members are in open conflict.

Answer: This describes the “Storming” stage. The project manager should facilitate conflict resolution, clarify roles, and encourage respectful discussion. This is expected and, if handled well, moves the team forward.

Exam Warning

Failing to intervene during the "Storming" phase often results in entrenched conflict, low morale, and poor performance. Recognize that timely action is essential—the project manager must not ignore early tension.

Revision Tip

Sketch the Tuckman Ladder on a note card. Memorize the order (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning) and at least one hallmark feature of each stage for exam scenarios.

Practical Actions for Building and Supporting Teams

• Develop a team charter jointly with team members.
• Use team-building activities appropriate for the current stage.
• Hold regular meetings to review progress, surface issues, and plan improvements (e.g., retrospectives).
• Encourage honest feedback and provide recognition.
• Address individual and team skill gaps through training.
• Celebrate achievements, review lessons learned, and plan transitions at project close.

Summary

Team development is not automatic; every team progresses through phases that require distinct leadership focus. By understanding, observing, and actively managing team development, you enable the group to reach high performance and deliver results.

Key Point Checklist

This article has covered the following key knowledge points:

• Stages of team development, especially Tuckman’s and Drexler/Sibbet’s models.
• Typical characteristics and challenges at each stage.
• Leadership actions suited to each phase of team growth.
• Role of a team charter and ground rules in supporting team culture and performance.
• Traits of high-performing teams and practical strategies for team building.
• Application of team development principles in predictive and agile project management.
• Importance of trust, open communication, and conflict resolution for team effectiveness.

Key Terms and Concepts

• Tuckman’s Ladder
• Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model
• High-Performing Team
• Team Charter
• Self-Organizing Team