The 4 Stages of Team Collaboration and your role as a leader

Understand what stage your team is in, and how to lead them to high performance without wasting money on useless team events.

Why Your Team Offsites Aren’t Working

Let’s be honest: most “team-building” events are entertainment.

Paintball, escape rooms, even hiking retreats can be fun… but they don’t solve what’s really slowing your team down. In fact, when there’s underlying conflict, many team members skip those events altogether. Not because they’re antisocial—but because they don’t feel psychologically safe at work.

And if that’s the case, no amount of pizza or kayaking will build real collaboration.

What will?

A proven team development process that moves your team step by step—from mistrust and misalignment to real performance and shared ownership.

Let’s explore the 4 phases every team goes through—and your real job as a leader in each one.

The 4 Stages of Team Collaboration

1. Forming – New Beginnings, Big Uncertainty

In this phase, your team is still “polite.” People are unsure, cautious, and watching you closely. They’re waiting for signals—how decisions are made, what’s expected, and who they can trust.

🎯 Your Role: Be the Host, Mentor, and Guide.

Provide a clear vision, simple ground rules, and concrete tasks. Kick-off workshops, team charters, and shared values help reduce uncertainty and build alignment.

2. Storming – Conflict Below the Surface

Here’s where most teams break down.

Tensions rise, personalities clash, and passive resistance or unspoken rivalries emerge. This is not a sign of failure—it’s inevitable.

But many managers avoid it. Instead of addressing conflict head-on, they pile on deadlines and hope the issues sort themselves out.

They don’t.

🚨 Result: disengagement, toxic subcultures, power struggles—and your authority gets quietly undermined.

🎯 Your Role: Be the Conflict Mediator and Team Organizer. Address tension early, set boundaries, and guide conversations. Use professional conflict resolution tools—not just your instincts.

3. Norming – Shared Trust and Team Identity

This is where things begin to click.

You’ve created shared values. Everyone understands their role. Even the quiet team member is protected from outside pressure because the group has each other’s back.

🎯 Your Role:

You’re a Facilitator, Influencer, and Team Coach.

Model collaboration. Strengthen your values. Help the team make decisions together and stay aligned—even when things change fast.

4. Performing – High Trust, High Results

This is the sweet spot.

Your team operates almost like a startup. They make decisions together. They care. They innovate. And they hold each other accountable—with or without you in the room.

🎯 Your Role:

Shift to Coach, Protector, and Strategic Partner.

You’re still responsible for results—but now, you’re managing momentum, not micromanaging tasks.

What Most Leaders Get Wrong

Most teams get stuck in Storming, or bounce between Forming and Storming, forever.

Why? Because the leader doesn’t adapt. They keep leading with the same tools in every stage. And that’s like trying to use a hammer when you need a scalpel.

But when you understand what stage your team is in—you can unlock next-level performance.

Want to Know What Stage Your Team Is In?

Take our free Team Momentum Scorecard—and find out in just 3 minutes:

• ✅ Pinpoint your current team stage
• ✅ Get targeted recommendations to move forward
• ✅ Understand the #1 dynamic slowing your team down

👉 Click here to take the free Team Scorecard →

About the Author

Thea Brockmeyer is a global project leadership coach and executive mentor who’s trained over 10,000 professionals and advised Fortune 200 companies across 11 countries. Her programs help leaders turn struggling teams into high-performing powerhouses.