Work Groups

Reading this resource will introduce you to the factors influencing group behavior and dynamics. Groups can be formal or informal and are not always formed by the organization to accomplish a particular task. It is important to consider group type as a manager because it informs the managerial actions you should take to accomplish a task. For example, volunteer groups (such as civic or social groups) will exhibit different dynamics than work command groups. As you read, pay attention to the four stages of group formation: leadership, communication, decision-making, power and politics, and conflict and negotiation.

Work Groups: Basic Considerations

Stages in Group Development

Before we begin a comprehensive examination of the structure of groups, consider briefly the stages of group development. How do groups grow and develop over time? Tuckman has proposed one model of group development that consists of four stages through which groups generally proceed. These four stages are referred to by the deceptively simple titles forming, storming, norming, and performing (see Exhibit 9.2).

  1. Forming. In the first stage of development, when group members first come together, emphasis is usually placed on making acquaintances, sharing information, testing one another, and so forth. This stage is referred to as forming. Group members attempt to discover which interpersonal behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable in the group. In this process of sensing out the environment, a new member is heavily dependent upon others for providing cues to acceptable behavior.
  2. Storming. In the second stage of group development, a high degree of intergroup conflict (storming) can usually be expected as group members attempt to develop a place for themselves and to influence the development of group norms and roles. Issues are discussed more openly, and efforts are made to clarify group goals.
  3. Norming. Over time, the group begins to develop a sense of oneness. Here, group norms emerge (norming) to guide individual behavior. Group members come to accept fellow members and develop a unity of purpose that binds them.
  4. Performing. Once group members agree on basic purposes, they set about developing separate roles for the various members. In this final stage, role differentiation emerges to take advantage of task specialization in order to facilitate goal attainment. The group focuses its attention on the task (performing). As we consider this simple model, it should be emphasized that Tuckman does not claim that all groups proceed through this sequence of stages. Rather, this model provides a generalized conceptual scheme to help us understand the processes by which groups form and develop over time.
A graph plots the stages in group development.

Exhibit 9.2 Stages in Group Development

Concept Check
  1. What are the reasons for joining a group?
  2. What are the development stages groups often go through?
  3. At the storming stage, what differences might you expect between groups formed for economic self-interest and groups formed for mutual self-interest?