Storming: Obstacle or Pathway?

Dozens, maybe hundreds of white papers, workshops, and Web pages agree that the second stage of Tuckman's development sequence for small groups — the stage Tuckman called Storming — is painful. [Tuckman 1965] [Tuckman & Jensen 1977] Those resources assert that Storming stands in the way of the next two stages, Norming and Performing. They hold that with its focus on conflict, frustration, and disagreement, Storming prevents groups from getting work done. There are tips for getting through Storming, for leaving it behind as quickly as possible. For a brief review of Tuckman and Jensen's model, see "Tuckman's Model and Joint Leadership Teams," Point Lookout for January 18, 2023.

Examples of advice available:

• Refocus on goals
• Break goals into smaller achievable steps
• Develop conflict management skills
• Focus on collaborative process

The idea these advocates present seems to be that by getting the group to start Norming, we can end Storming and get on with the task. For them, Storming is a period of near-zero productive output that we must tolerate because, well, we must.

I see things differently. The Storming stage can be productive, but we must be careful about what we mean by productive. What Storming produces is a modified version of the group itself. This modified version of the group is one that can do what's needed in the Norming stage because the obstacles related to Storming have been cleared away.

The work Only by addressing the issues of
the Storming stage can the group
develop the foundation needed
for Norming and Performingwe do in the Storming stage is necessary and productive. Storming is the period when the group constructs the foundations necessary for producing the behavioral and professional norms and the group structure that it will need when it starts accomplishing its task first in the Norming stage and later in the Performing stage. Only by addressing the issues of the Storming stage can the group develop that foundation. Storming isn't an obstacle. Storming is the way forward.

An example of a tangle due to ineffective Storming

One tangle that ensnares some groups is trying to work towards a goal before the group agrees about what the goal is. In some cases, groups try to work towards a goal even before the group can agree about what the goal is.

Consider a project team that has intentionally abbreviated its time in the Storming stage. The sense among its leaders and managers had been something along the lines of, "Enough of this analysis-paralysis. We know what we need to know to make a start on our task. We can work out the final details along the way."

And that's how two subgroups — Subgroup A and Subgroup B — started building parts of what each subgroup surmised would be needed. But since Subgroup A's interpretation of the goal differed from Subgroup B's interpretation of the goal, their two efforts eventually reached a point of irreconcilable conflict. Partway through their work, the conflict between their two interpretations became clear. A debate erupted. They halted work until the larger group could decide — or until Management could decide — which of the two paths the group would follow. Since time is money, they made that critical decision under time pressure, and that caused them to overlook some important factors. More waste. More lost time.

The group could have avoided the waste and lost time if they had used the Storming stage to learn how to disagree constructively. The problem wasn't analysis-paralysis. It was instead an inability to conduct respectful debate — or even air differences — among people who hold contradictory opinions. This skill deficit prevented the group from exploring differences in enough detail to uncover ambiguities in descriptions of customer preferences.

The problem was that the group had tried to start working on task before they had properly exposed their differences in the Storming stage. And that prevented them from using the Norming stage to create a unified, cohesive approach to the task.

Statements of possible task goals

In the example above, the group could have made progress in goal clarification during the Storming stage. Setting specific goals is best left for the Norming stage, but the exercise of clearly stating differing views of possible goals is valuable for developing clarity during Storming. And that exercise is appropriate for Storming because it doesn't involve final priority decisions, which are better left for the Norming stage or later. More about this next time.

Last words

The Storming stage isn't a time for making decisions. It's a time for expressing doubts and frustrations and hearing others express theirs. It's a time for giving everyone permission to face squarely the problems that stand in the path to success. The group can do this by taking a problem inventory. Next time I'll provide the beginnings of a framework for taking that inventory.   Next issue in this series   Top    Next Issue

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More about Tuckman's sequence of small group development

Reaching Agreements in Technological Contexts  [December 7, 2022]

Reaching consensus in technological contexts presents special challenges. Problems can arise from interactions between the technological elements of the issue at hand, and the social dynamics of the group addressing that issue. Here are three examples.

The Politics of Forming Joint Leadership Teams  [January 4, 2023]

Some teams, business units, or enterprises are led not by individuals, but by joint leadership teams of two or more. They face special risks that arise from both the politics of the joint leadership team and the politics of the organization hosting it.

Tuckman's Model and Joint Leadership Teams  [January 18, 2023]

Tuckman's model of the stages of group development, applied to Joint Leadership Teams, reveals characteristics of these teams that signal performance levels less than we hope for. Knowing what to avoid when we designate these teams is therefore useful.

White Water Rafting as a Metaphor for Group Development  [December 4, 2024]

Tuckman's model of small group development, best known as "Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing," applies better to development of some groups than to others. We can use a metaphor to explore how the model applies to Storming in task-oriented work groups.

Subgrouping and Conway's Law  [December 18, 2024]

When task-oriented work groups address complex tasks, they might form subgroups to address subtasks. The structure of the subgroups and the order in which they form depend on the structure of the group's task and the sequencing of the subtasks.

The Storming Puzzle: I  [December 25, 2024]

Tuckman's model of small group development, best known as "Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing," applies to today's task-oriented work groups — if we adapt our understanding of it. If we don't adapt, the model appears to conflict with reality.

The Storming Puzzle: II  [January 1, 2025]

For some task-oriented work groups, Tuckman's model of small group development doesn't seem to fit. Storming seems to be absent, or Storming never ends. To learn how this illusion forms, look closely at Satir's Change Model and at what we call a task-oriented work group.

The Storming Puzzle: Six Principles  [January 8, 2025]

For some task-oriented work groups, Tuckman's model of small group development seems not to fit. Storming seems to be either absent or continuous. To learn how this illusion forms, look closely at the processes that can precipitate episodes of Storming in task-oriented work groups.

The Storming Puzzle: Patterns and Antipatterns  [January 15, 2025]

Tuckman's model of small group development, best known as "Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing," applies to today's task-oriented work groups, if we understand the six principles that govern transitions from one stage to another. Here are some examples.

A Framework for Safe Storming  [January 29, 2025]

The Storming stage of Tuckman's development sequence for small groups is when the group explores its frustrations and degrees of disagreement about both structure and task. Only by understanding these misalignments is reaching alignment possible. Here is a framework for this exploration.

On Shaking Things Up  [February 5, 2025]

Newcomers to work groups have three tasks: to meet and get to know incumbent group members; to gain their trust; and to learn about the group's task and how to contribute to accomplishing it. General skills are necessary, but specifics are most important.

On Substituting for a Star  [February 12, 2025]

Newcomers to work groups have three tasks: to meet and get to know incumbent group members; to gain their trust; and to learn about the group's task and how to contribute to accomplishing it. All can be difficult; all are made even more difficult when the newcomer is substituting for a star.

Footnotes

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