High Resolution Files of Visual: See Permission Request Information section







Introduction

Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Scott M. Graffius’ first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his 'Phases of Team Development' as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development—Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning—inclusive of a graph showing how performance varies by phase, as well as the characteristics and strategies for each phase.

Graffius initially developed his unique material in 2008, and he periodically updates it. This article presents the refreshed 2025 edition.

Project Managers, Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, DevOps Leads, and other leaders can apply these insights to overcome team challenges, fostering happiness, productivity, and success.

This article has “team development” in the title. Alternative terms that may be interchangeable in the context of this discussion include group development, group dynamics, high-performance teaming, strategic team building, team agility, team building, team coaching, team collaboration, team dynamics, team leadership, team optimization, team performance, team tradecraft, teamcraft, teamwork, and teamwork tradecraft.





Five Phases of Team Development

1. Forming

Characteristics of the Forming phase include displaying eagerness, socializing, a generally polite tone, sticking to safe topics, being unclear about how one fits in, and some anxiety and questioning.

Strategies for Forming include taking the ‘lead,’ being highly visible, facilitating introductions, providing the ‘big picture,’ establishing clear expectations, communicating success criteria, and ensuring response times are quick.

2. Storming

Traits of the Storming phase include some resistance, lack of participation, conflict arising from differences of opinion, competition, high levels of emotions, and tension.

Strategies for Storming include requesting and encouraging feedback, identifying issues and facilitating their resolution, normalizing matters, and building trust by honoring commitments.

3. Norming

Features of the Norming phase include developing cohesion; purpose and goals are well-understood; more confident; improved commitment; members are engaged and supportive; and relief, lowered anxiety.

Strategies for Norming include delivering feedback, recognizing individual and team efforts, providing learning/upskilling opportunities, and monitoring the ‘energy’ of the team.

4. Performing

Characteristics of the Performing phase include high-level performance; demonstrations of interdependence and self-management; elevated empathy, trust, and morale; individuals defer to team needs; and producing deliverables effectively and consistently.

Strategies for Performing include ‘guiding from the side’ (minimal intervention), highlighting successes, and encouraging collective decision-making and problem-solving.

5. Adjourning

Typical traits of the Adjourning phase (also referred to as the Transitioning or Mourning phase) include potential sadness and the disbanding of temporary teams.

Strategies for Adjourning include communicating change; conducting a summative team evaluation via a retrospective event, lessons learned meeting, or similar session; recognizing individual and team efforts and achievements; and celebrating the team's accomplishments.





Conclusion

These insights provide a practical framework to navigate the complexities of group dynamics. Whether you’re a Project Manager guiding a cross-functional team, a Scrum Master fostering agility, a DevOps Lead bridging development and operations, or another leader, understanding and leveraging the phases of team development can transform challenges into opportunities. And they’ll advance the teams’—and your own—happiness, productivity, and success.

Organizations around the world engage Graffius to deliver compelling talks and workshops. To date, he's presented sessions at 91 conferences and other events across 25 countries:

• Armenia,
• Australia,
• Brazil,
• Canada,
• Czech Republic,
• Finland,
• France,
• Germany,
• Greece,
• Hong Kong,
• Hungary,
• India, Ireland,
• Lithuania,
• Luxembourg,
• Nepal,
• Netherlands,
• New Zealand,
• Norway,
• Romania,
• Sweden,
• Switzerland,
• United Arab Emirates,
• United Kingdom,
• and the United States.

Scott M. Graffius’ 'Phases of Team Development' intellectual property is central and key to many of those sessions.

Graffius is a global expert on high-performance teams and he delivers engaging talks and workshops that bring teamwork tradecraft to life. His sessions are tailored to inspire, educate, and equip audiences with actionable tools for success. Whether at global conferences or private corporate events, he provides a fresh perspective on leadership and teamwork.

For booking inquiries, complete the speaker engagement request form or email directly to explore how Graffius can help elevate your organization’s performance.

Read on for:

• Coverage of Graffius’ Research,
• Sources/References,
• About Scott M. Graffius,
• Permission Request Information,
• How to Cite This Article,
• and more.

Graffius’ Research is Widely Cited, Featured, and Used

Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, researchers, journalists, and others around the world have featured and used prior editions of Scott M. Graffius’ ;Phases of Team Development; material. Here are some examples:

• Adobe,
• American Management Association,
• Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
• Bayer,
• Boston University,
• Broadcom,
• Cisco,
• CodeMonk,
• Dagen,
• Deimos Aerospace,
• DevOps Institute,
• Erste Group Bank AG (Austria),
• FINAT,
• Ford Motor Company,
• FSU College of Medicine,
• Hasso Plattner Institute,
• IEEE,
• Innovify,
• Johns Hopkins University,
• Journal of Neurosurgery,
• LeadingEng,
• Life Sciences Trainers & Educators Network (LTEN),
• London South Bank University,
• Manufacturers Alliance,
• Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
• Microsoft,
• New Zealand Government,
• Oracle,
• Prima Resource,
• Royal Australasian College of Physicians,
• Singapore University of Social Sciences,
• TBS Switzerland,
• Technical University of Munich,
• Torrens University (Australia),
• Tufts University,
• U.S. National Park Service,
• U.S. Tennis Association,
• UC San Diego,
• UK Sports Institute,
• University of Galway (Ireland),
• University of Graz (Austria),
• University of Waterloo,
• Victorian Institute of Technology (Australia),
• Virginia Tech,
• Warsaw University of Technology,
• Western Sydney University,
• Yale University,
• and many others.

These examples demonstrate the widespread recognition and application of Scott M. Graffius' 'Phases of Team Development' work across diverse sectors and entities around the world.





References/Sources

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39. Graffius, Scott M. (2021, June 21). DevOps and Team Leadership [Workshop]. Session at private event in Las Vegas, NV. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.15380.22401.
40. Graffius, Scott M. (2021, May 13). But First, the Team! [Presentation]. Lecture delivered at DevOps Pro Europe 2021 Conference. Based and simulcast live from Vilnius, Lithuania. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.30524.36481.
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47. Graffius, Scott M. (2022, May 13). Want Happier and More Productive DevOps Teams? [Presentation]. Talk delivered at DevOpsDays Geneva, Switzerland 2022 Conference. Digital Object Identifier (DOI): 10.13140/RG.2.2.22252.85127. DOI link: https://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.22252.85127.
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110. Virginia Tech (2020, October 9). Turning to Tuckman: How to Leave a Team. Available at: https://spia.vt.edu/leadership-development/vmf-program/latest-posts/turning-to-tuckman--how-to-leave-a-team.html.
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How to Cite This Article

Graffius, Scott M. (2025, January 10). Leverage the Phases of Team Development (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning) to Help Your Teams Succeed: 2025 Update. Available at: https://agilescrumguide.com/blog/files/teamwork-2025.html.





Permission Request Information

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About Scott M. Graffius



Scott M. Graffius is a high impact and globally recognized AI, advanced technology, agile, and project management researcher, thought leader, author, and public speaker.

Graffius has generated more than USD $1.9 billion in business value for organizations served, including Fortune 500 companies. Businesses and industries range from technology (including R&D and AI) to entertainment, financial services, and healthcare, government, social media, and more.

Graffius leads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded talent, and consulting services to public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™. Graffius is a former vice president of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more. He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.

He is the author of two award-winning books.

• His first book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions (ISBN-13: 9781533370242), received 17 awards.
• His second book is Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change (ISBN-13: 9781072447962). BookAuthority named it one of the best Scrum books of all time.

Organizations around the world invite Graffius to speak on tech (including AI), agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He has developed and delivered unique and compelling talks and workshops. To date, Graffius has delivered 91 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more. With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.

For booking inquiries, complete the speaker engagement request form or email directly to explore how Graffius can help elevate your organization’s performance.

Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have featured Graffius and his work including content from his books, talks, workshops, and more. Select examples include:

• Adobe,
• American Management Association,
• Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
• Bayer,
• BMC Software,
• Boston University,
• Broadcom,
• Cisco,
• Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts Germany,
• Computer Weekly,
• Constructor University Germany,
• Data Governance Success,
• Deimos Aerospace,
• DevOps Institute,
• EU's European Commission,
• Ford Motor Company,
• GoDaddy,
• Harvard Medical School,
• Hasso Plattner Institute Germany,
• IEEE,
• Innovation Project Management,
• Johns Hopkins University,
• Journal of Neurosurgery,
• Lam Research (Semiconductors),
• Leadership Worthy,
• Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
• London South Bank University,
• Microsoft,
• NASSCOM,
• National Academy of Sciences,
• New Zealand Government,
• Oracle,
• Pinterest Inc.,
• Project Management Institute,
• Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
• SANS Institute,
• SBG Neumark Germany,
• Singapore Institute of Technology,
• Torrens University Australia,
• TBS Switzerland,
• Tufts University,
• UC San Diego,
• UK Sports Institute,
• University of Galway Ireland,
• US Department of Energy,
• US National Park Service,
• US Tennis Association,
• Veleučilište u Rijeci Croatia,
• Verizon,
• Virginia Tech,
• Warsaw University of Technology,
• Wrike,
• Yale University,
• and many others.

Graffius has been actively involved with the Project Management Institute (PMI) in the development of professional standards. He was a member of the team which produced the Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition. Graffius was a contributor and reviewer of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition, The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition, and The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition. He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.

Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds nine professional certifications:

• Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
• Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
• Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
• Project Management Professional (PMP),
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
• IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

He divides his time between Los Angeles and Paris, France.






About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions



Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.

There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.

With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Scott M. Graffius's award-winning Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps the reader:

• Implement and use the most popular agile framework―Scrum;
• Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement; and
• Support innovation and drive competitive advantage.

Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”

Winner of 17 first place awards.

Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle worldwide. Some links by country follow.

• 🇦🇺 Australia
• 🇦🇹 Austria
• 🇧🇪 Belgium
• 🇧🇷 Brazil
• 🇨🇦 Canada
• 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
• 🇩🇰 Denmark
• 🇫🇮 Finland
• 🇫🇷 France
• 🇩🇪 Germany
• 🇬🇷 Greece
• 🇭🇺 Hungary
• 🇮🇳 India
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• 🇸🇪 Sweden
• 🇨🇭 Switzerland
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• 🌏 More countries

About Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change



Thriving in today's marketplace frequently depends on making a transformation to become more agile. Those successful in the transition enjoy faster delivery speed and ROI, higher satisfaction, continuous improvement, and additional benefits.

Based on actual events, Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change provides a quick (60-90 minute) read about a successful agile transformation at a multinational entertainment and media company, told from the author's perspective as an agile coach.

The award-winning book by Scott M. Graffius is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle worldwide. Some links by country follow.

• 🇦🇺 Australia
• 🇦🇹 Austria
• 🇧🇷 Brazil
• 🇨🇦 Canada
• 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
• 🇩🇰 Denmark
• 🇫🇮 Finland
• 🇫🇷 France
• 🇩🇪 Germany
• 🇬🇷 Greece
• 🇮🇳 India
• 🇮🇪 Ireland
• 🇯🇵 Japan
• 🇱🇺 Luxembourg
• 🇲🇽 Mexico
• 🇳🇱 Netherlands
• 🇳🇿 New Zealand
• 🇪🇸 Spain
• 🇸🇪 Sweden
• 🇨🇭 Switzerland
• 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
• 🇺🇸 United States
• 🌏 More countries

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.











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