Six Stages of Work Agreements

Description

The Truth: High-performance teamwork is inevitable…

…If you have the right team-building process.

In 1965, Bruce Tuckman proposed the Stages of Team Development: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. While these phases are inevitable, most teams get “stuck” in the Storming phase because they lack a structured way to navigate conflict and reach consensus.

The Six Stages of Work Agreements is the professional roadmap for applying RMT Element #3 within the context of Tuckman’s model. This article provides facilitators and leaders with a clear and understandable process for moving through these developmental stages by creating and living Work Agreements—your team’s custom moral contract.

Aligning the 6 Stages with Team Development:

• Stage 1 & 2 (Forming): Receiving the leader’s endorsement and earning teammate approval before addressing any “Storming” teamwork issues.
• Stage 3 (Storming): Facilitating the Work Agreement workshop, where defensiveness is transformed into constructive and practical agreements.
• Stage 4 (Norming): Discussing how to mitigate teammate breakdowns and to normalize the “Accept, Forgive, and Adjust” attitudes and behaviors.
• Stage 5 (Performing): Addressing how to measure Work Agreement success to sustain teammate effectiveness that achieves 100% Customer Satisfaction.
• Stage 6 (Adjourning/Transition): If needed, ensure a smooth transition so the Right-Minded mindset persists even if the team reforms.

Stop being a “referee.” By understanding these 6 stages, you empower your teammates to self-regulate. This isn’t just about “getting along”; it is a Methodology for Operational Excellence.

The Perfect Companion to the 10-Step Book

While the How to Facilitate Team Work Agreements book provides the detailed 10-Step Implementation Process, this 6-Stage article provides the Strategic Overview.

Together, they ensure the facilitator and the team leader understand not just how to write an agreement, but where the team is in their psychological journey toward becoming a team whose aspiration is to Do No Harm, Work as One ®.

Ready to implement the right team-building process?

Add to Cart – to download the 6-Stage Article

Click Here – to download the Work Agreement eBook Package

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May Oneness Be With You & Your Teammates 🙏

Dan Hogan, Certified Master Facilitator