Forming

When a new team gets together, there are certain dynamics at work. Understanding these basics helps you understand what’s going on.

You have managed to get the entire team to that team offsite. The trip in went well and everyone have arrived. It’s time to present the new team members to each other. The meeting room has the classic chairs around a table. You talk, present goals and give your intro. The team members are silent. No one has any questions.

Breaking for lunch, it’s slowly taking off with some easier discussions among the team about hobbies and fishing stories. Going back to the meeting room and the teams seems more at easy. But not everyone seems to be interested. Some are starting to participate (and talk) more than others.

Already day two you can see people clustering in smaller groups, finding their favourites. When one is going, others are following. 

This is the first step in the FIRO (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation) circle of team forming. Another famous one is called “Forming, Norming, Storming, Performing”. We’ll touch on a slightly modified FIRO here.

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