Importance of Tuckman ladder model in HR management

Team building or team development is one of the important elements for the project manager to make the project successful. The project manager has to set the environment, platform lively so that the team can work as a team with a positive attitude which in turn cascades to the success of the project.

But this is not an easy job! It requires lot of perseverance.  Let us see how this team building or team bonding can be built successfully from the real side experience. As a project manager, when he or she forms a team, the members come from different industry background, different cultures, different work experiences, different skill sets with different experiences. At this stage the situation is that people will be working on their own, they don’t like each other, have differences in opinion, ego clashes etc. In this kind of environment, the project manager can’t make the project a success. Now let us go for a team outing on Friday and Saturday, may be to some recreational resort. When people return back to office on Monday, what would the situation be? We can feel some positive difference among the team members as there may have been sharing of thoughts and personal experiences by way of ice breakers during the team building activities at the outing. From this stage onwards the team starts working towards the project and if the project manager carries this momentum onwards, the team becomes highly efficient. The team will always be involved in the project. Whether it is during lunch time, corridor, or if they are on their way home in the same transport medium and even if they happen to meet at a shopping mall during the weekend, if not the project, definitely the project manager is discussed. And at the end of the day, they make the project a success and may go back to their respective functions.

I believe, you must have experienced this earlier and if not, you are surely going to experience it sometime, during your life time.

Now let us relate the above situation to the Tuckman ladder model, which is Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Adjourning.

Forming: The team meets and independent (working on their own)

Storming: Not collaborative and open to ideas, the team is counterproductive (they don’t like each other, difference in opinion, ego clashes)

Norming: Begin to work, adjust their habits, and trust each other (After visiting the resort, team starts working towards the project)

Performing: The team is interdependent and works effectively (always speaking about the project)

Adjourning: Staff releases as the work gets completed (they make project success and may go back to their respective functions) What are you waiting for? If you are a project manager, please take the team to a recreational outing. If you are not a team member, ask to go to a resort. If you are in the senior management, encourage the project team to visit a resort during the weekend and importantly, fund the same.