Tuckman Theory of Group Development - Case Study Example

The society we live in comprises of people with both similar and diverse backgrounds and experiences. This diversity impacts how people interact in society. One of the many ways through which people interact is as a group. In many cases, group interactions are aimed at helping people accomplish a specific project. This means that groups are formed to bring together different ideas and experiences, which helps develop a solution to the issues with more effectiveness. As mentioned above, since different members of a group bring different ideas and experiences to help accomplish the task, getting the right solution is increased by the numbers. However, this depends on how well the group learns to operate as a unit (Natvig & Stark, 2016). According to a psychologist named Bruce Tuckman, group interaction can be classified into five stages. Each of these stages helps the groups develop either into a well-functioning or dysfunctional group. This paper will seek to establish how each stage of group development impacts the group's effectiveness in undertaking the project assigned to it.

Orientation

This stage is also referred to as group formation. It involves activities that pertain to the initial contact members of the group have with each other. At this stage in the group development, members of the team are expected to exchange personal information through introductions. Personal information is critical as it facilitates these individuals with the means through which they can address one another while communicating within the group. Additionally, sharing personal information gives the group identity. This means that the people in the group become aware of other members (Natvig & Stark, 2016). Depending on how one reacts to personal information, the group can develop to be a success or otherwise. For instance, sharing personal information could establish if the people in the group are of the same economic, social, and cultural standing. People are more likely to feel comfortable in a group consisting of peers. On the contrary, if the group consists of people from more diverse backgrounds, this could lead to discomfort.

Owing to the discomfort created by uncertainty, during this stage of group development, there is uncertainty. This implies that group members are not sure what their role in the group is. For this reason, you will find that there is a lot of inactivity in the group at this period. Group members are afraid of taking a leadership initiative (Natvig & Stark, 2016). This is because they do not know how the rest of the group members will react to the initiative. In such settings, individuals will be scared of being secluded or viewed as the anomaly. However, some type of communication has to take place for the group to develop into the next stage. This communication is often tentative. The group is not conversant with one another yet. For this reason, they do not know the strengths and weaknesses of one another. This makes them wary of making permanent decisions that could adversely affect them in the future. This is why all forms of communication at this stage leaves room for change. Members of the group hesitantly give ideas welcoming other members of the group to support or oppose the suggestions openly. This type of communication could help group members establish individuals of like-mindedness and those with different ideologies. This results in the development of the group into the next stage.

Conflict

This is the second stage in group development. This stage can also be referred to as the storming stage. It is characterized by several aspects of social interaction, among them dissatisfaction. As mentioned in the first step, orientation can help group members establish how similar or diverse their identities and ideologies are (Natvig & Stark, 2016). However, due to individuality, the chances of all members of a group agreeing on all issues are slight to none. This means that there is a possibility that social standing will lead to some members of the group getting dissatisfied. If an individual view themselves to belong to a higher cadre than the rest of the group members, the chances of developing superiority complex are very high. In a classroom setting, forcefully pairing a serious student with one that is not very serious about classwork could result in dissatisfaction. The serious student could feel that their partner will not have anything to offer, resulting in resentment.

Additionally, this stage in group development is characterized by disagreements. This is a scenario in which the team members have different ideas on issues to be addressed by the group. For instance, a group of theorists or scientists can comprise individuals that have opposite approaches to issues. The sharing of personal information, which is undertaken during the first stage, allows these individuals to learn about one another. For the group to begin its task, different suggestions have to be made. These suggestions are likely to differ depending on the diversity of the group. When people have different ideas, there will be disagreements. Moreover, in this stage, there is a likelihood for the leader and procedures to be challenged. Differences of opinions also imply differences in approaches to issues. An example of this scenario would involve an evolution theorist leading a group with a religious leader in it. These two individuals are highly unlikely to share common beliefs. As a result of these differences, one will not sit well with leadership by the other.

However, despite the group's diversity bringing about conflict, it also leads to the formation of cliques. People that share the same ideas are likely to form a group within the larger group. This is due to the belief in success in numbers. Cliques can either be good or bad in the development of the group. The good side of this is the reduction of time wastage going through the ideas of each individual (Natvig & Stark, 2016). On the contrary, the group will only address the suggestions of different groups within the group that are well thought of. Better developed ideas within these cliques will ensure more success of the group. On the other hand, these cliques can be detrimental to the group. If the sub-group with the numbers is wrong about an issue they will impose their decision on the rest of the group which brings about collective failure. Depending on how the group handles the conflict, the foundation of the group will be established as either strong or otherwise. This will lead to the next stage in group development.

Structure

Group structure refers to the process through which the group will begin to learn to operate as a unit. Cohesiveness is a critical aspect of this stage. Cohesiveness implies that members of the group have established their differences in the last stage. However, after establishing their differences, they choose to compromise. This means that the group members will be willing to accept the ideas suggested by other group members despite holding a different opinion. Additionally, this stage allows the group members to agree on procedures, standards, and roles. This means that the group members have accepted that they each have to play a different role in the group depending on their strengths and weaknesses. For this to be accomplished, the group members have to agree on the standards established for the group (Natvig & Stark, 2016). Depending on the nature and role of the group, the standards established could either be formal or informal. Group standards specifically articulate how members of the group are expected to relate with each other. This means that they will be expected to operate within a neutral common ground despite the differences of opinion. This will ensure that the group's decisions are logical and not promoted by an emotional bias towards an issue. Finally, this stage in group development experiences improved communication. Members of the group are more comfortable around each other. This means that they can share their ideas openly without fearing alienation from the group. Improved communication in this stage of development is critical in advancement to the next stage.

Performance

This stage involves the group undertaking the task for which it was formed. Different groups are formed to perform different tasks. Depending on the cohesiveness of the group, its effectiveness in performing these tasks will differ (Natvig & Stark, 2016). Groups with high diversity and cohesiveness are more likely to succeed in their tasks that those lacking in both. At this stage, the group is supposed to maintain focus on the task provided. The group leader plays the role of a regulator. He or she is expected to control the tempo of the group. If a discussion gets too heated risking conflict, the leader should deescalate the situation returning the group to the agenda. Additionally, the leader is also expected to control group discussions or activities, reminding them what the agenda is to prevent side issues from interfering with the group's work. This stage also involves decision making and cooperation, which are both instrumental in task completion.

Dissolution

After the task for which the group was formed is completed, the group is then dissolved. This stage can be experienced in various ways. One of the ways is through the departure of group members. If the group members do not live in the same geographical location, at dissolution they are expected to go back to their homes. Additionally, withdrawal is another aspect of this stage (Natvig & Stark, 2016). This implies that the individual stops performing tasks that were expected of them while in the group. Withdrawal can be achieved gradually by group members reducing their dependency on each other gradually. Finally, depending on the success of the project's failure, group dissolution can be characterized by the regret of things done wrong or those not done at all. These five developmental stages are all critical in the success of the group in the task allocated to it.