Youth Workin' It

Consultancy and Resources for Youth Workers and Organizations Worldwide

Tuckman’s Group Development Model

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Tuckman's Group Development Model
Everything you need to know to help your youth get through the different stages of youth groups

It’s the start of the new school year, which often means changes in the make-up of youth groups. We therefore thought that this week’s Best Of Youth Workin’ It post should focus on Tuckman’s group development model, as it can help you and your youth work through these changes in your group.

1. Forming Stage Of Group Development – The first stage in Tuckman’s group development model is the Forming stage. This post explains what you can expect to happen – particularly in terms of youth behavior – and how to assist your young people in getting through this awkward time.

2. Storming Stage Of Group Development – The second part is the Storming stage – this is where young people will seek to poke the bear by testing boundaries. This can therefore be a critical stage in terms of your young people learning about your expectations of the group.

3. Norming Stage Of Group Development – The third stage is Norming, where your young people start becoming more comfortable with you and the other youth, thereby becoming more comfortable in the group as a whole. This can lead to its own challenges though (such as complacency), so this post looks at these areas and how to help the group continue to grow.

4. Performing Stage Of Group Development – The fourth stage of Tuckman’s group development model relates to Performing. As the name suggests, this is generally the most productive stage – youth have gelled, they’ve gained confidence in themselves and each other and are enjoying what they’re doing. This post explores this further, what else you can expect and how to prepare the youth for the final stage.

5. Adjourning Stage Of Group Development – The fifth and final stage is Adjourning. This is also known as mourning, as it relates to what happens when the group ends. At the start of the school year, you may find your groups in a mix of both forming and adjourning, so this post is worth reading to identify ways that you can help your young people (and yourself) through these changes.

Questions: What stage of Tuckman’s group development model are you in at the moment? What tips do you have for other youth workers on how to move through the stages?

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The Performing Stage of Group Development

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Performing stage of group development
Are the members of your youth group natural born performers?

We’re currently doing a five-week series on the stages of group development as outlined by Tuckman and Jensen (1977). We’ve discovered what happens when groups form, the tumultuous times that can happen when groups storm and how they balance out and norm. Today we’re going to explore the Performing Stage of group development.

According to Barnes (2002:43) you can identify a group in the performing stage by the following indicators:

  • The group is able to be task-focused instead of focusing on personal issues
  • They’re able to work effectively together and individually on tasks
  • The group has a leader and clearly defined roles and structure
  • They’re excited to work on tasks and exhibit pride in their work

The nice thing about working with a youth group in the performing stage is that they require less supervision. You’re able to answer questions and maybe offer ideas, but overall you don’t need to hold their hands any longer.

A group in the performing stage has probably been working together a while and have ‘come in to their own’ as a team. The leader is able to lead, the other members of the team are able to accomplish their tasks and, for the most part, everyone does this with minimal disruption to the overall goal and group.

When working with a youth group in the performing stage just remember…

1) Developing – You will need to continue developing their skills so that they don’t stagnate and end up back in the norming stage where there is minimal progress.

2) Changing – They will probably not stay in this ‘perfect’ place for very long. A new member may join the group and/or an older member may move on. This affects the group and causes the dynamics to revert to some of the earlier stages of group development. This is natural, so be prepared and prepare your group.

3) Ending – The group will end eventually. At some point the group will change, grow, move on and close. It may not happen right away but when it does, closure is important. We’ll talk about how to successfully close a youth group next week as we explore the final stage of group development – the Adjourning stage.

Question: What is your favorite part of the performing stage of youth group development? Has your group ever been an effective and functioning team? What did they accomplish? Share your experiences in the comments below.

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Working with Youth – Group Development

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Forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning - youth group development
If only they always got on this well!

Working with youth in a group can be both rewarding and challenging.

When youth work together in a group effectively, you can see some really great things happen. They can achieve more together than on their own, they can support each other through effective team work and they can build long lasting relationships.

Or, when youth work together in a group you can see things fall apart – fast. They can have trouble focusing their collective energies, they can decide that personal feelings or vendettas aren’t worth overcoming for the common good and they can fight and bicker until some young people stop coming to the youth group altogether.

Sometimes working with groups of youth it is a mixture of both. While you can work hard to facilitate team work and encourage relationships, each group development is different and they aren’t always going to get along like you wish they would. In fact, it’s almost guaranteed according to Tuckman (1965) that they won’t, at least for some of the time your group is together.

That’s why it’s important to recognize and understand the dynamics of youth group development. They don’t make every group experience rainbows and sunshine, but by understanding and recognizing the stages outlined by Tuckman and Jensen (1977 – see below), you can better understand where your group development is at. Also, teaching these phases to your youth you can help them become more self-aware group participants in the process.

The five stages of group development are:

  1. Forming stage – Early phase of the group meeting with one another
  2. Storming stage – Conflicts arise within the group as they get more comfortable with one another
  3. Norming stage – The group begins to work out their differences
  4. Performing stage – They work cohesively- getting things done and working together
  5. Adjourning stage – The group ends

Over the next few Wednesdays, we’ll go over these stages in greater detail so you can be better prepared when working with youth and identifying what stage of group development they’re at. We’ll also discuss ways you can help the youth in your program learn about Tuckman’s stages of group development. (n.b. use the links on the bullet point list above to read more about each of the stages).

Question: What is one of the biggest challenges of youth group development for you? Let us know in the comments below.

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