Tuckman Model Stage 1: Forming and the Avengers

Summary

In this video, Lon Schiffbauer discusses the first stage of the Tuckman model, known as 'Forming,' which is the initial phase where team members get to know each other. During this stage, individuals share basic information and engage in surface-level conversations to become acquainted. The focus is on avoiding conflict and seeking acceptance within the group. Team members are cautious about revealing personal feelings and maintain a guarded approach, leading to first impressions based on limited information. Schiffbauer uses the analogy of sizing up opponents in West Side Story to illustrate the process of assessing teammates. He emphasizes that at this stage, the focus is on the individual rather than the mission or objectives, and the team is not yet fully formed.

Takeaways

• 📌 The Tuckman model outlines five stages of team development: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning.
• 📌 In the Forming stage, team members engage in surface-level introductions, sharing basic information like names and hobbies.
• 📌 The main goal in the Forming stage is to get acquainted with each other and feel comfortable, while avoiding conflict.
• 📌 Team members are guarded in this stage, revealing very little about themselves to avoid vulnerability.
• 📌 The focus is on making a good impression and being accepted by the group, rather than on the team's mission or objectives.
• 📌 First impressions in the Forming stage are based on limited, filtered information and can be distorted.
• 📌 Team members size each other up, trying to determine who they can trust and rely on.
• 📌 The Forming stage is about the individuals rather than the team as a whole.
• 📌 There is a focus on self-preservation and figuring out one's role in the team.
• 📌 The Avengers are used as an example to illustrate the dynamics of the Forming stage.
• 📌 The video series will continue with the Storming stage in the next installment.

Q & A

What is the Tuckman model?

The Tuckman model is a theory that describes the stages that teams go through as they come together. It includes Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning.

What is the first stage of the Tuckman model?

The first stage of the Tuckman model is the Forming stage, which is characterized by initial interactions where team members get to know each other on a superficial level.

What kind of information is typically shared during the Forming stage?

During the Forming stage, team members share high-level, surface information such as names, hobbies, and some family details. The sharing is minimal and does not delve into personal feelings or vulnerabilities.

Why is conflict avoidance a key behavior during the Forming stage?

Conflict avoidance during the Forming stage is important because the main objective is to ensure acceptance within the group. Team members want to be seen as part of the team and avoid rocking the boat.

How do team members behave regarding personal feelings in the Forming stage?

In the Forming stage, team members tend to hide their personal feelings and play their cards close to their chest, avoiding vulnerability and revealing too much about themselves.

What is the main focus during the Forming stage?

The main focus during the Forming stage is on the individual team members, rather than the mission, objectives, vision, project, or problem statement.

Why are first impressions during the Forming stage often misleading?

First impressions during the Forming stage are often misleading because they are based on very limited and highly filtered information. People are not revealing their true feelings and are providing minimal details about themselves.

What is the significance of the West Side Story analogy in the context of the Forming stage?

The West Side Story analogy illustrates the process of team members sizing each other up and assessing who they can rely on or who might pose challenges, similar to how the gangs in the story circle each other before a fight.

What is the typical mindset of a team member during the Forming stage?

During the Forming stage, a team member is more focused on how they will fit into the team or even how to navigate getting out of the team situation, rather than actively contributing to the team's goals.

What is the next stage after the Forming stage in the Tuckman model?

The next stage after the Forming stage in the Tuckman model is the Storming stage, which is characterized by conflicts and disagreements as team members begin to address their differences.

How does the team dynamic evolve from the Forming to the Storming stage?

As the team moves from the Forming to the Storming stage, the initial politeness and guarded behavior start to break down, leading to more open conflicts as team members' true personalities and working styles emerge.

What is the main goal for a team leader during the Forming stage?

The main goal for a team leader during the Forming stage is to facilitate an environment where team members can get to know each other, feel comfortable, and start to build trust, while also setting the stage for future collaboration.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to Team Formation and Tuckman's Model

In the first paragraph, Lon Schiffbauer introduces the topic of team formation and the Tuckman model, which outlines five stages teams go through: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. Schiffbauer proposes to explore this model using the Avengers as an example. The paragraph focuses on the Forming stage, which is characterized by initial interactions among team members where they share basic information and try to get to know each other. This stage is about becoming acquainted and feeling comfortable with one another, avoiding conflict, and seeking acceptance within the group. Schiffbauer emphasizes that during this phase, individuals are guarded, share minimal personal information, and are more concerned with making a good impression and assessing others rather than focusing on the team's mission or objectives.

🤔 The Dynamics of the Forming Stage

The second paragraph delves deeper into the dynamics of the Forming stage. Schiffbauer explains that individuals are cautious about the information they share to avoid vulnerability and maintain a guarded stance. The focus is on sizing each other up, determining who might support or betray the team, and understanding who is likely to take credit for work. The paragraph highlights that first impressions are often based on limited and filtered information, which can lead to distorted perceptions. Schiffbauer uses the analogy of the scene from West Side Story to illustrate how teams, like rival gangs, assess each other before engaging in conflict. He concludes by noting that during the Forming stage, the emphasis is on the individual rather than the collective mission, and the team is not yet fully formed, with individuals like Bruce Banner more concerned about their role and duration within the team.

Keywords

💡Tuckman's Model

Tuckman's Model is a psychological theory that describes the stages of development that teams go through as they form, develop, and eventually disband. In the video, it is used to structure the discussion about team dynamics, specifically using the Avengers as an example. The model includes the stages of Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning, with the video focusing on the initial 'Forming' stage.

💡Forming Stage

The Forming Stage is the first of Tuckman's five stages of group development. It is characterized by the initial interactions where team members get to know each other on a surface level. In the video, Lon Schiffbauer describes it as a 'get to know you' phase where individuals share basic information like names and hobbies, but avoid deeper personal details or conflict to ensure acceptance within the group.

💡Awkwardness

Awkwardness refers to the discomfort or unease that individuals might feel when meeting new people or being in new social situations. In the context of the video, awkwardness is associated with the initial stages of team formation where individuals are cautious and guarded in their interactions, trying to fit in without revealing too much about themselves.

💡Guarded Communication

Guarded communication is a cautious approach to sharing information, where individuals are careful about what they reveal to others. In the video, this concept is used to describe how team members, during the Forming stage, share only basic information to avoid conflict and to be accepted by the group. They avoid sharing personal feelings or opinions that could potentially disrupt the early stages of team development.

💡Avoiding Conflict

Avoiding conflict is the deliberate act of steering clear of disagreements or confrontations, especially in the early stages of team building. The video emphasizes that during the Forming stage, team members are focused on acceptance and will thus avoid any behavior that might cause discord within the group, as they are still establishing their roles and relationships.

💡Acceptance

Acceptance in the context of the video refers to the desire of individuals to be acknowledged and welcomed by their peers in the team. It is a key motivation during the Forming stage, where individuals are keen on making a good impression and being part of the group. Acceptance is important for building trust and fostering a collaborative environment within the team.

💡Personal Feelings

Personal feelings are the emotions and sentiments that individuals have but may choose not to express, especially in a professional or team setting. In the video, it is mentioned that during the Forming stage, individuals tend to hide their personal feelings to appear more neutral and less vulnerable, which allows them to size up the team dynamics without revealing their own cards.

💡First Impressions

First impressions are the initial judgments or opinions that people form about others based on their initial interactions. The video discusses how these impressions are often made on limited and filtered information, which can lead to misunderstandings or misjudgments. In the context of team formation, first impressions can significantly influence how team members perceive each other and their potential roles within the team.

💡Sizing Each Other Up

Sizing each other up refers to the process of evaluating and assessing people to understand their potential behaviors, roles, or contributions within a group. In the video, this concept is used to describe how team members observe and make judgments about each other's reliability, trustworthiness, and potential to contribute or detract from the team's success during the Forming stage.

💡Individual Focus

Individual focus is the concentration on one's own identity, needs, and goals, often at the expense of considering the collective mission or objectives. The video explains that during the Forming stage, the emphasis is on the individual rather than the team's mission, vision, or project. This focus shifts as the team progresses through the subsequent stages of Tuckman's model.

💡Storming Stage

The Storming Stage is the second stage in Tuckman's model, which follows the Forming stage. It is characterized by conflicts and power struggles as team members begin to assert themselves and challenge the ideas and roles of others. The video teases the upcoming discussion on the Storming stage, suggesting that it will involve a shift from the cautious and guarded interactions of the Forming stage to more open and potentially contentious dynamics within the team.

Highlights

The Tuckman model outlines five stages for teams to come together: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning.

The Forming stage is the initial 'get to know you' phase where team members share basic information.

During Forming, team members are guarded and careful about the information they share to avoid conflict.

The main objective in the Forming stage is to ensure acceptance and fit in with the group.

Team members are attentive to the impressions they give off and how others perceive them.

Personal feelings are hidden during the Forming stage to avoid vulnerability.

The impression given off during Forming is highly filtered as team members size each other up.

First impressions in the Forming stage are often based on limited, filtered information and can be misleading.

Focus in the Forming stage is on the individual rather than the mission, objectives or project.

The Forming stage is about individuals figuring out how to be part of the team rather than how to get out of it.

The Avengers are used as a relatable example to explore the Tuckman model.

The video series aims to provide a practical understanding of the Tuckman model through the lens of the Avengers.

The Forming stage is compared to the scene in West Side Story where gangs size each other up before a fight.

The video emphasizes the importance of navigating the Forming stage carefully to set the stage for successful team development.

The presenter, Lon Schiffbauer, provides a humorous and engaging overview of the Forming stage.

The video uses relatable examples and analogies to make the Tuckman model accessible and understandable.

The series promises to delve into the subsequent stages of the Tuckman model in upcoming videos.

The video concludes by previewing the Storming stage, which will be covered in the next installment.

Transcripts

Hi, I'm Lon Schiffbauer. In this video series we're talking about how we come

together as teams. Now in the first video of this series we introduced the Tuckman

model. That's the model that said that in order to come together as a team we go

through five specific steps: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and

Adjourning. And the way we're going to explore this model is through the

Avengers. I mean, why not right? And so to start us off, today we're talking about

Forming. Now Forming stage is just the sort of get to know you, chit-chat stage.

We sort of, you know, tell each other our names, talk about our hobbies, maybe a

little bit about our family. We're talking really high-level, surface

information. We're sharing very little about ourselves in this Forming stage.

The idea here is simply to get acquainted with one another and

especially feel comfortable with one another. After all, the first time we come

together in a group of individuals things can be pretty awkward, "I gotta say

it's an honor to meet you, officially. I sort of met you. I mean, I watched you

while you were sleeping." Now at this stage we're gonna be very guarded and

careful about what kind of information we share with one another. We do exchange

information, but it's really just sort of, you know, name, rank, serial number, if you will.

Just the facts ma'am. What's more, in this stage we are all about avoiding

conflict. We don't want to rock the boat in any way, shape, or form because

ultimately our main objective is to ensure acceptance with the group. These

are the people we're going to have to work with, after all. We want to be

accepted as part of the tribe. We're very attentive to the sort of vibe we give

off, and the impressions that others may have of us.

"Dr. Banner!" "Yeah." "They told me you'd be coming." "Word is you can find the cube."

"Is that the only word on me?" "Only word I care about. " And so during this Forming

stage we actually hide our personal feelings a great deal. We don't want to

reveal too much about ourselves. We don't want to become too vulnerable, so we play

the cards very close to our chest. This means that the impression that we give

off of ourselves is highly filtered. All we're really doing is sizing each other

up. We're looking around the room and sort of figuring out who's gonna be the

one who throws me under the bus. Who's gonna be the one I can rely on in a

tight spot. Who's gonna be the one who takes all the credit. We really want to

kind of figure out who we're up against as we come together as a team. It kind of

makes me think of the scene from West Side Story where all the gangs are just

kind of circling each other before the knife fight begins. They're assessing and

sizing each other up before the real battle starts. And by the way, that battle

will be coming soon enough when we talk about storming. But one thing to bear in

mind with these first impressions is that we're making them on very limited

and highly filtered information. After all, we are hiding our true feelings.

We're not rocking the boat. We're giving just bare minimum information. And based

on this others are going to make their judgments about us on what is really a

very very thin layer of information. And we likewise are doing the same thing. We

hear a few words, we see a few gestures. We're trying to fill in all the blanks

with our imagination, and our imagination tends to tell us warning warning. So

oftentimes these first impressions that we make of other people are highly

distorted and very misleading. So all of this means that at this stage the thing

that we're focused on is the individual. We're not looking at the mission. We're

not looking at the objectives. We're not looking at the vision. We're not looking

at the project. We're not looking at the problem statement. It's all about us

right now. You and me, the individual. Much like Bruce Banner here, we're kind of

more interested in figuring out how we're going to get out of this team than

we are about figuring out how we're going to be a part of it. "So, how long am

I staying?" So we don't have a team yet. Right now it's just a bunch of

individuals. So that's the Forming stage! Now in our next video we'll talk about

the Storming stage. Yeah, we're gonna start storming, and so I hope you'll join

me for that.