Team Stage Survey


 

Project teams go through different stages of development, and effective leaders manage teams differently depending on which stage they are in. This job aid helps Project Managers determine (i) which stage of development their team is in and (ii) what leadership style is most likely to support a high performing team.

The “Forming Storming Norming Performing” model of team development explains that a project team progresses through four stages of development as follows:​​​

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This model was first developed by Bruce Tuckman.


The final stage, the Performing stage, is the most productive and desirable stage of team development. But all new teams must go through the Forming, Storming, and Norming stages before they reach the Performing stage.

The job of the leader is to help the team get to the Performing stage and then help them stay in that stage. Over time, especially if there significant staff turnover or other changes, a team can revert from the Performing Stage to one of the other, less desirable stages.


​Q.1 We try to have set procedures to ensure things are orderly and run smoothly (i.e. minimize interruption, allow everyone the opportunity to speak). Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.2 We are quick to get the task at hand and do not spend much time planning. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.3 Team members feel shared responsibility for the project's overall success or failure. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.4 We have thorough procedures for agreeing to objectives and planning the way we will complete our work. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.5 Team members are reluctant to ask each other for help. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.6 We take our project's goal and objectives literally and have a shared understanding of them. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.7 The team leader tries to keep order and contributes to the task at hand. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.8 We do not have fixed procedures. We make them up as the task or project progresses. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.9 We generate lots of ideas but do not use many of them because we fail to listen, and we reject new ideas without fully understanding them. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.10 Team members do not fully trust the others members and closely monitor others who are working on a specific task. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.11 The Team Leader ensures that we follow the procedures, do not argue, do not interrupt, and keep to the point. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.12 We enjoy working together; we have a fun and productive time. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.13 We have accepted each other as members of the team. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.14 The team leader is democratic and collaborative. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.15 We are trying to define our goal and what tasks need to be accomplished. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.16 Many of the team members have their own ideas about the project, and personal agendas are rampant. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.17 We fully accept each other's strengths and weakness. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.18 We assign specific roles to team members (team leader, facilitator, time keeper, note taker, etc.). Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.19 We try to achieve harmony by avoiding conflict. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.20 The tasks are very different from what we imagined and seem very difficult to accomplish. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.21 There are many abstract discussions of the concepts and issues, and some team members are impatient with these discussions. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.22 We are able to work through group problems. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.23 We argue a lot even though we agree on the real issues. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.24 The team is often tempted to expand the original scope of the project. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.25 We express criticism of others constructively Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.26 Team members have a close attachment to the team. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.27 It seems as if little is being accomplished regarding the project's goal and objectives. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.28 The goal and objectives we have established seem unrealistic. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.29 Although we are not fully sure of the project's goal and objectives, we are excited and proud to be on the team. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.30 We often share personal problems with each other. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.31 There is a lot of resistance to the tasks on hand and quality improvement approaches. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.32 We get a lot of work done. Please Select Almost Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Almost Always
Q.33 The team is dissolving or about to dissolve because our project is coming to a close Yes    No


This survey is adapted from Donald Clark’s survey, which can be found at:  http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/teamsuv.html.​