Other times, we need to go directly to our group and ask for their thoughts or concerns. Sometimes asking for an outside perspective about an event or product could be helpful to integrate new and innovative changes. Seek feedback: Ask for feedback internally and externally. Thoughtful changes made here can strengthen and stabilize your group so that they can get back on track. Restructure: Are there not enough people assigned to a task? Are there too many people assigned to a project? Consider how you could restructure or rebalance your team to be more efficient or effective. Use this time to establish clear communication across all levels of your group or organization. Does everyone have a clear understanding of what is expected of them? Some issues may be resolved by simply clarifying or updating these responsibilities for members of the group. This can be a great team building opportunity for your group.Ĭlarify roles: Check in on roles and responsibilities. Then, go into developing groundrules for everyone to follow that will help you to be successful together. If that is the case, take time to clarify the rules for everyone.ĭon’t have groundrules? Make some!: Consider using a mission statement as a guide to discuss why the individuals are a part of the group.
This isn’t a time to point fingers or make someone feel uncomfortable, because everyone makes mistakes! It could have been that the rule was unclear.
If one of them was broken, try discussing so the group can move forward together by meeting that expectation. These agreed upon “rules” could be anything from agreeing to bring the necessary materials to meetings or demonstrating respect for each other. Revisit your groundrules: Did your group establish groundrules when forming? Groundrules help us create a productive and safe work environment and team dynamic. Here are a few tips to help you through the regrouping process: From the balcony we realize that it may be difficult to bring a group back to talk about a past or current problem, but if left unresolved those conflicts could grow more intense or complex. It helps us to be better, more responsive observers. When I think my group may be going back to Storming, I go to the balcony and think to myself, “Well, we need to regroup and fix this.” “Going to the balcony” is a metaphor for taking a vantage point that allows us to really see what’s going on with our group from an outside perspective.
Storming is a tricky stage because it can actually occur anywhere in the group development model. It might look like obvious conflict or it might be more subtle or even invisible resistance. These conflicts may arise for a number of reasons including things like misunderstanding of expectations, differing methodologies, or unclear goals. In Storming, group members really begin the process of working together, and as a result disagreements may occur or personalities may clash. In a classroom, this stage happens at the beginning of the school year. During the Forming, the group members learn about each other and the goals they want to achieve. In Bruce Tuckman’s Group Development Model, the first two stages of group development are Forming and Storming.