Embracing Storming as a Necessary Stage of Team Development

Storming.? The stage of team development that we all hate.? It is characterized by conflict, disagreement, power struggles, and heightened emotions. Team members will challenge each other's ideas, question authority, and become defensive. It can even sometimes lead to members leaving or being removed from the team.? It is uncomfortable and frustrating for team members and leaders alike.? It teaches us that we all can exhibit passive-aggressive behaviors.? It’s just so much more appealing to take the easy path and avoid the conflict.??

But frustrations just percolate.? Eventually, the pot always boils over.? The storming stage is simply an essential part of team development. It allows team members to air their grievances, establish roles and responsibilities, and develop a shared understanding of the team's goals and objectives.? Don’t avoid it.? Work through it.? You will find that it ultimately results in better team relationships.? First, it allows team members to get to know each other better and to understand each other's strengths and weaknesses. Second, being honest with each other will build trust and rapport among team members, which is essential for effective teamwork. Third, storming helps team members to identify and resolve conflicts. Conflicts, which if left unaddressed, will fester and become more serious later on. Finally, storming helps team members more fully develop a shared understanding of the team's goals and objectives and avoid duplication of effort.

As leaders, we play a critical role in helping teams navigate the storming stage. Here are some tips I have learned over the years:

• Create a safe space for open communication: Encourage team members to express their thoughts and feelings, even if they are negative. Ensure that everyone feels comfortable speaking up and that there is no fear of retaliation.
• Facilitate conflict resolution: Help team members to resolve their conflicts constructively.? While you may eventually need a neutral third party to mediate the process, I have found that it works better when we give our teams the skills to work through constructive confrontation themselves.? The key is to focus on the shared problem and not make it personal.? I find that it works best to do it in person and face-to-face; never via email or text message.? Even body positioning is important.? For example, avoid sitting across a table from each other, it makes it feel like an attack on each other.? Instead, sit in such a way that you can both face the problem (I like to write in on a whiteboard and jointly collaborate on a solution).? And most importantly, take the time to truly listen to each other.
• Establish clear roles and responsibilities: Ensure that each team member knows what is expected of them and that there is no duplication of effort. This will help to reduce confusion and conflict.? But avoid being overly prescriptive and instead have the team members do the detailed alignment as they often better know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Reinforce the team's goals and objectives: Keep reinforcing the team’s goals and objectives and your expectations.? This will help to keep the team focused and moving in the same direction.
• Provide support and encouragement: Let team members know that you are there to support them and that you believe in their ability to work through the storming stage. Make sure they know that this stage is normal and necessary.? It will help with morale and keeping the team motivated to work through the issues at hand.??

The storming stage can be a challenging time for teams, but it is also an important time for growth and development. The ability of team members and leaders to successfully navigate this stage is a key skill I use to select new employees and to measure employee performance and potential.??

Hopefully these tips are helpful, but I would love to hear from my network on your own tips for how you have navigated storming during your careers!