Stages Norming

Norming Stage

In the Norming stage, team members accept the team’s ground rules, their roles on the team, and the individuality of fellow members. Efforts are made to determine what standards of performance are acceptable. Each member is working on performance issues. As team members become more comfortable working together, they have more time and energy to spend on the project and are able to make significant progress.

Characteristics/Indicators

Team has all the resources for doing the job.

Appreciation builds.

Increased interaction, cooperation, and collaboration.

Cross-functional relationships have developed through interdependent behavior.

Trust, the most essential ingredient in team dynamics, begins to evolve.

Key Questions Members Ask

How are we going to work together?

Is quality really going to be a priority?

Do we really mean what we say when we set deadlines?

Is it okay to miss meetings?

What do I have to do differently?



Feelings

Relief that the situation is improving.

Acceptance; feeling respected and valued for strengths, unique talents, and differences.

Positive energy with increased confidence and sense of control.



Action Steps to be Completed

Talking openly about issues and concerns.

Developing processes for information sharing, feedback, and resource allocation.

Having open forums on tasks and relationships, both internal and external; negotiating where appropriate.

Building on positive norms and changing unhealthy norms.

Supporting consensus decision-making efforts.

Giving positive and constructive feedback.

Assuring that team goals are clear, specific, and measurable and that all team members accept the goals and their role in achieving them.

Supporting with and delegating to team members as much as possible.

Presenting the team’s mission, goals, plans, purpose, energetically to others outside the team.

Working on consensus on overarching issues.



Symptoms of Uncompleted Steps

Working on consensus on overarching issues.

Team norms don’t crystallize.

No congruence in how the group is to work together.

No established channels for giving and receiving feedback.

Members do not present the team’s goals and plans to external others similarly.

Work does not get done on time or is inadequate.



Leader’s Role (Facilitating Style)

Communicating; sharing ideas and information.

Initiating an individual development plan.

Creating a leadership role in team based on who does what the best.

Using a facilitative style to involve team in decision-making.

Reinforcing teaming behavior.

Requesting and accepting feedback.



Member’s Role

Self-reinforcing team norms.

Buying into objectives and activities.

Communicating, communicating, and communicating.

Requesting and accepting feedback.

Working proactively for the benefit of the team.

Building trust by honoring commitments.

Taking responsibility for an individual development plan that aligns with team and organization’s strategy focuses on stretch goals.

The Ryan Group - Leaders in Human Capital Management Solutions