Are you struggling with team performance? Or not able to get things done in an agile way? Have you introduced an a new member of staff to the team and worried about how they will settle in? Don't worry the answer is only a Tuckman's model away.

I was introduced to Tuckman's Model back at the start of my charity career in 2002 as part of a Directory of Social Change's Project Management course which I am so glad I took and completed.  That model in itself was a godsend for my many years of trial and tribulation with recruiting new staff, building new teams, refreshing older teams with new tasks and genuinely wanting to create healthy dynamic team environments.

Tuckman or should I say Dr Bruce Tuckman, created the legendary Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing model in 1965 and I have been a firm advocate of its principles since 2003 when I started growing my charity team.  What's unique about it is that it helps you to de-stress and manage workplace situations and behaviour better because it anticipates behaviours of a group as they develop.  The magic in all that is, it directs you as a team leader or line manager to behave in different ways at different stages of team development.

The latter has been very helpful for me as a guide to how I should behave. As often the ability for a team to actually perform is based more on the ability of a team leader knowing when and how to direct, facilitate and encourage and this is none the more so felt where you are trying to create a high-performing culture. 

Understanding and accepting that staff because of their different personalities or learning styles may/will conflict in the way in which team tasks are completed, helps you to realise that it's OKay for them to storm as they are just on their road journey to perform. Just make sure you steer well.

Would be interested to know if any member has used Tuckman's model and their thoughts? Does the model resonate and how does this help you as a team participant as opposed to a team leader? Happy to contirbute to thoughts on how to use the model for particular team situations if anyone shares.  Finally as an aid, I have included links to two specific examples of how Tuckman's Model can help you as a team leader or being part of a team.