You can’t improve team performance if you can’t measure it. Knowing where your team stands is the first step to reaching high performance.
Too often, leaders assume their team is doing “just fine” because there’s no visible conflict. But high performance doesn’t happen by default—it happens by design. And that starts with measurement.
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
– Henry Ford
Bruce Tuckman’s “Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing” model gives us a powerful lens to track how teams evolve. It helps us go beyond surface-level harmony and understand what’s really happening under the hood.
Here’s the reality: most teams plateau in the Norming stage—comfortable, cooperative, but far from peak performance. Some get stuck in Storming, where unspoken tension and misalignment derail progress. Only a few break through to Performing, where collaboration feels seamless and results follow.
Leaders who regularly assess their team’s stage have a distinct edge. They’re not guessing—they’re leading with clarity. They know when to challenge comfort zones, when to double down on psychological safety, and when to nudge their people into growth.
And measuring performance isn’t about blame—it’s about creating brave spaces for reflection and progress.
Want to unlock your team’s true potential? Start by asking: where are we, really? Then lead from there.
Think of it like building your fitness. You don’t improve by guessing—you track your steps, monitor your heart rate, and check in regularly to see what’s working. The same goes for teams. When we measure team ‘fitness’ consistently, we move from assumptions to awareness—and that’s where real growth begins.
Measuring team performance goes far beyond ticking off KPIs. High-performing teams aren’t just defined by outcomes—they’re shaped by behaviours, dynamics, and how people show up for one another.
Studies consistently show that observable behaviours—like how feedback is received, how decisions are made, and how conflict is handled—are key indicators of team health. These behavioural markers offer a window into what’s really driving (or derailing) performance.
Practical Steps to Use Tuckman’s Model with Your Team:
Assess the Current Stage:
Hold regular check-ins with your team to openly discuss and evaluate which stage of Tuckman’s model (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing) best describes the team currently. Knowing your baseline allows targeted improvements.
Normalise the Storming Phase:
Clearly communicate that conflict or tension (Storming) is a natural and essential phase of growth. Instead of avoiding it, encourage open dialogue about disagreements and guide the team toward productive resolutions.
Establish Clear Norms and Roles:
Facilitate sessions where the team collaboratively establishes guidelines (Norming) about how they work together, make decisions, and handle disagreements. Explicit norms help teams navigate smoothly through inevitable challenges.
Regularly Reflect and Adapt:
Schedule recurring team reflection sessions to evaluate your progress through Tuckman’s stages. Ask questions like, “What behaviours are moving us forward?” and “What’s holding us back from reaching ‘Performing’?”
Celebrate Progress and Success:
Acknowledge and celebrate when your team successfully moves from one stage to the next. Recognising these milestones reinforces positive behaviours and builds momentum toward sustained high performance.
Measuring your team’s stage isn’t a check-the-box exercise—it’s the heartbeat of intentional leadership, turning insights into high-performance realities.
Get in touch to discuss how we might be able to support your teams with measuring success and working towards high performance: jessica@intactteams.com
