4 Forming
This stage describes the point when a disparate group of individuals with their own ways of working come together to achieve a shared goal (Figure 4). This stage is characterised by:
- excitement and eagerness about the project ahead
- anxiety as to whether you will be good enough or fit in the team
- lack of progress with members asking lots of questions
- frustration that things are moving slowly and you are never going to get on with it
- politeness as group members get to know each other.
Activity 3 How to cope with Forming
Timing: Allow about 5 minutes
Consider what you could do at this stage of team formation to help a group move forward. Think about what you need to accomplish in this stage before you are able to move onto the next stage. Note down your answers.
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Answer
Activities which may be useful at this stage are focused on creating a team with a clear structure and goal direction, and getting to know each other in order to build trust. Some of the activities you may consider include:
- ice-breaking activities to get to know each other and build trust – a facilitator may be brought in to help with this
- setting the ground rules; it may be helpful to record these and display them at every meeting so that you can add to them/amend them as you go along or remind yourself of them if issues emerge.