At this point in the semester, your staff should be falling into the natural rhythms of the semester and are getting more acclimated to the expectations of their roles. Sure, there will always be different questions about what-if scenarios but, by and large, the staff have a foundational understanding of what is expected of them. Likewise, the storm has passed with team dynamics and individuals will have accepted the overall staff dynamics and the differences of perspective they may have with other members of the team. This stage is all about settling into roles, improving relationships, and the team starts to function more cohesively.
Other Posts In This Series:
Forming | Storming | Norming | Performing | Adjourning
The norming phase follows the often tumultuous storming stage, where conflicts and power struggles can arise as team members figure out their roles and working dynamics. Once the team moves into the norming phase, they begin to develop a shared understanding of how to work together, and trust starts to build. The key characteristics of this stage include:
Collaboration: In this stage, team members become more willing to share ideas, seek input from others, and cooperate on tasks. This is a great time to discuss goals as a team, as things have started to settle down with classes and the hectic events that happen at the beginning of the semester. By sharing goals among the staff, it helps the team identify how they can support each other and helps them get to know each other on a deeper level by learning more about others’ interests and areas of growth.
Role Clarity: Team roles and responsibilities become clearer, and individuals feel more confident in their positions. For the most part, people know what is expected of them and know what tools they can use to complete tasks that are essential to their role. With this point, on-call responsibilities specifically come to mind. There will always be contextual factors that may deviate from the behind-closed-doors scenarios that were practiced in staff training. If there aren’t any of these curve balls added, staff are able to complete the process as communicated to them and, if there are grey areas, will be directed to you as their supervisor.
Resolution of Conflict: When you’re in the storming phase, it may feel like there will never be a time when conflict will end with your staff. And with certain staff members, there may not: some things are never going to be resolved. But in terms of the overall team dynamic, relationships should be shifting into place and will be more independent compared to the reliance they may have had on their supervisor. Staff members are more comfortable using their own communication skills to address grievances on their own and to ideate a path forward independently.
Increased Trust: With everything the team has been through at this point in the year, they are starting to get to know each other better and are becoming more comfortable with one another. If you have a larger staff, it’s likely that there will be pockets of social groups rather than one harmonious whole. Everyone is comfortable with one another but people will generally gravitate towards those they have a better connection with. From the job responsibility dynamic, staff trust one another when working on more collaborative assignments. Connected to this, staff members likely have unspoken rules on how to interact, make decisions, and resolve conflicts as they have grown more comfortable with one another.
While the norming phase represents progress, it’s not without its challenges. Here are some potential difficulties your team may struggle with during this stage:
Complacency: Teams may become too comfortable with the status quo, leading to a lack of urgency or drive to push for higher performance. Truth be told, this is where most teams land in their overall performance throughout the year. They’ve accepted the status quo and are more focused on surviving the year. If you’re committed to pushing your team from good to great, keep reading!
Groupthink: There’s a risk that, in an effort to maintain harmony, team members may avoid challenging ideas or questioning decisions, which can stifle creativity and innovation. This happened on a team that I was working on, where I proposed a feedback form for residents to use at each of the RA’s house programs. It would help me keep a pulse on what residents thought about our events and provide RAs with great feedback to help them consider future programming. When initially addressed, the staff minimized their feedback and seemed supportive. A month later, they came back and shared they were abhorrently against it from the beginning. It wasn’t an issue to step back from this approach but I acknowledged that, if I had their genuine opinions from the beginning, it all could have been avoided.
Relapse to Storming: Teams are not immune to falling back into the storming phase, especially when faced with new challenges or changes in team dynamics, such as the introduction of new members or shifting priorities. There will be different moments when teams are pushed to their limits during the semester and it may result in moments of challenging conflict. Remember to support them during this time; don’t let issues fester.
Let’s not be mistaken: the norming phase isn’t a bad place to be. It’s where most times will stop growing and developing, accepting what is and not dreaming of what could be. During this phase, managers and team members can adopt several strategies to keep the momentum going:
Encourage Open Communication: The norming phase is the time to solidify positive communication patterns. Leaders should foster an environment where team members feel safe to express ideas, provide feedback, and raise concerns. This happens most during staff meetings, where an open dialogue can take place and people can share their ideas free from judgment. It also comes from one-on-one conversations, where you can get to know your individual staff as their leader and identify what they need to be at their best.
Celebrate Milestones: This concept is something that I have seen few leaders implement and even fewer excel at it. One of my colleagues, whom I fondly referred to as the “Cricut Wizard” created what were essentially merit badges that their staff members could collect to memorialize their different accomplishments within the role out of construction paper. There would be a ceremony at each staff meeting so that others could see and acknowledge the efforts of one another. I can’t imagine how much time she devoted to the process but it was a successful way for her to share appreciation and for everyone to celebrate each other’s efforts.
Clarify Goals and Expectations: At this point, you want to make sure everyone is on the same page with what you all are collectively trying to achieve. Take some time to review what progress has been made toward goals, address what next action steps might be, and open the conversation to see if anything needs realigned. This is also a great time to discuss expectations of one another to reinforce the team norms. Identify what has gone well and what can still be polished as you continue working with one another.
Encourage Flexibility and Adaptability: Although roles are more solidified compared to prior phases, it’s essential that everyone on the team remain flexible. Encourage team members to be more adaptable, providing grace to others and stepping outside of their comfort zone when needed. It will help to create a more resilient team that can adjust to changes quickly. The same goes for conflict, trying to brush off smaller issues when possible. Staff members need to know when they need to speak up; it’s not about silencing anyone or sweeping anything under the rug. However, it’s understanding when people have a rough day and not challenging them on petty behavior. They happen to everyone and you have to give the same grace if you want it back. We need flexible, resilient teams.
The norming phase of Tuckman’s model is a pivotal period in a team’s development. It’s the stage where team members build trust, collaborate effectively, and solidify their working relationships. By promoting open communication, clarifying goals, celebrating milestones, and maintaining a focus on growth and adaptability, teams can transition from norming into the performing stage, where they will achieve their full potential. Understanding and leveraging the dynamics of the norming phase will help leaders guide their teams toward lasting success.
