This week I learned that there were five stages to developing a team: forming the team, storming through differences, norming with each other and accepting everyone for who they are and for what they can contribute, performing the actual task, and then adjourning. The adjourning stage is when the project concludes and everyone goes their separate ways. I find that the hardest groups to leave are the ones in which relationships were built between group members off of trust.
One group I participated in that was the hardest to end was when I worked as a summer camp counselor for the boys and girls club during college. The other counselors on this team were phenomenal people and we had gotten together and decided to make that summer one of the best the kids had ever had (because the majority of us would not be returning due to graduation), one they would talk about for a long while. There were tears and parties thrown at the end of the summer. We kept in touch for a few years beyond that and talked of getting back together.
One group that was easy to adjourn from was one in my former school. This team of teachers was combative and confrontational with each other, always trying to "one-up" the other, and never seemed to move beyond the storming stage.
Hopefully, at the adjourning of my Master's program, the colleagues I have connected with will be career long colleagues, no matter where we are in the world. It is nice and very beneficial to have colleagues as resources and sounding boards and partners throughout your career.
The adjourning stage is essential to teamwork for the simple fact that it makes members of the team feel successful. Chances are if one has a good experience working on a team, they will be more apt to work on a team again in the future- hoping and working toward a similar end as the previous experience they have had.
