They say that teamwork makes the dream work. And bringing together a group of high performing individuals can be the fast route to success. As a corporate event and party planner, we have great team event ideas to help get all your team players on the same page.
That’s why we’ve taken a look at the five stages of team development to ensure things run smoothly at your next event.
Why is team development so important?
Successful work groups don’t form without some healthy disagreements. And that’s where team development comes in. Knowing how to manage team dynamics at every stage of the process is vital so that everything runs smoothly. So if you want your teams to listen, develop and set themselves up for success, following the five stages can help you reach your goals.
The five stages of group development
Now let’s break down the five stages of team development so you know what to expect at every stage:
Forming
The first stage is your team coming together and getting to know each other. It’s like the first day at a new job when you go through orientation. Everyone is still finding out about each other, and there’s no clear leader.
This stage includes:
- Introductions
- Team goals
- Individual roles, skills and responsibilities
- Ground rules
Need a hand? We can organise a meeting plus mixed activity events with an evening social to help your teams get to know each other better.
Storming
At this stage, group members start to share their ideas and explore team goals. However, it’s also the most challenging stage of team development, and it’s important to acknowledge that there can be conflicts.
For example, personalities can clash, and you’ll need to watch out for any cliques that start to form. In addition, you’ll need explicit strategies to manage personality conflicts and keep the process on track.
It’s the stage where your team needs to learn to play to their strengths, so set up some outdoor activities designed to promote better cooperation.
Norming
Once you’ve weathered the storming, the norming stage should be plain sailing. You’ve reached the point where your teams work out how to work together, and everybody’s roles and responsibilities are clear.
As your teams start to bond, team-building events significantly impact your outcomes. Support and constructive feedback become the norm as your team works together towards achieving its goals.
Performing
By this stage, your team has hit their stride. Team performance is at an all-time high, and every member is focused and committed to getting the job done. Of course, that doesn’t mean that conflicts won’t emerge, but they’re quick and easy to resolve.
Offering incentives to your team when they’re performing at the top of their game is a proven way to reward them for all their hard work.
Adjourning
Finally, your team has achieved their objectives. All that’s left to be done is debrief and provide feedback for future projects. Then individual team members move on to their next projects.
Instead of letting team members drift away, your organisation can mark a successful team effort with one of our corporate party events. We can even plan a virtual party for your remote teams.
There is no ‘I’ in team
Implementing the five stages of team development is the smart way to set your team up for success. Setting a clear purpose and goals, building in constructive feedback and using innovative team building ideas are all strategies for making sure your projects run like clockwork.
We can’t always know what’s around the corner, but following the five stages of team development gives you an opportunity to predict what could be in store. And while you handle the management strategies, What An Event will set up fantastic activities that support your team development every step of the way.
To find out more, call or message us today.