🎯”We have brilliant individuals, but we’re not a great team yet.”
😓Such was the realization when we were missing deadlines with what we called our ‘star-studded’ project
But what if team development was more science than art?
🎯Welcome to Part 7/8 of the series: Team Development Models: Your Guide to Engineering Excellence
🚀Tuckman’s Model in Team Development:
1.👥Forming: First sprint planning for the team feels stiff. Engineers size each other up, and ideas are cautiously shared. It’s like the first day at a new job – everyone is polite but reserved.
2.🌪️Storming: Architecture debates heat up. “Why Kubernetes?” “Is microservice right?” Conflicts emerge, but they are necessary growing pains.
3.🤝Norming: The team gets into its rhythm. Code review practices gel, CI/CD pipelines flow. Like a well-oiled machine, everyone knows their part.
4.⭐Performing: Magic happens. Team predicts issues before they happen, deliver consistently, innovates naturally. They’re in the zone.
5. 🔄Adjourning: Project winds down. Knowledge transfer becomes an issue. It’s as if professional athletes are closing out the season, time for reflection and preparation for the next big challenge.
📊Drexler/Sibbet Model – From Chaos to Symphony:
1. Orientation: Engineers finding their place. “Where do I fit in this stack?”
2. Trust Building: Senior dev reviews junior’s code constructively. Team learns to be vulnerable.
3. Goal Clarification: Vision crystallizes. “We’re building this to scale 10x.”
4. Commitment: Team owns the process. “Our definition of done includes security testing.”
5. Implementation: Roles clear, velocity steady. Each sprint better than last.
6. High Performance: Innovation flows naturally. Team anticipates challenges, solves problems before they surface.
7. Renewal: Continuous evolution. Team reinvents practices, stays ahead of tech curve.
💡 When to Use Which Model:
Tuckman’s Model – Best for:
🔹Project-based teams
🔹Short to medium-term initiatives
🔹Clear start-end engagements
🔹Agile transformations
Drexler/Sibbet Model – Perfect for:
🔹Long-term product teams
🔹Continuous delivery environments
🔹Organization-wide transformations
🔹Innovation teams
💪What’s In It For You:
• Right model for right situation
• Predict team evolution
• Navigate conflicts effectively
• Accelerate team maturity
• Build sustainable performance
🎯Pro Tip: Match your model to your mission – project teams need Tuckman’s, product teams thrive with Drexler/Sibbet.
👉What’s coming next? Power and Influence Models
💭Share a storm your team weathered successfully!
