In the article “40 Years of Storming: A Historical Review of Tuckman’s Model of Small Group Development,” Bonebright highlights several key aspects: the historical evolution and development of Tuckman’s model from its inception, the core stages of the model, and its practical applications. Initially, there were four stages of group development. These four stages include Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. Bonebright is very passionate when writing about the model’s evolution over nearly four decades and describing its impact in several atmospheres such as workplace behavior and team interactions. I find Tuckman’s model relevant to my experiences with team interactions throughout not only college but high school as well. In the past, I have often worried about group projects due to concerns about unequal credit for different group members’ contributions. However, in recent projects, I will have my team adopt an agreement form where everyone documents their contributions and signs off on them. This approach helps address the challenges described in the ‘Storming’ phase of Tuckman’s model, where conflicts over roles and contributions often arise. By formalizing our agreements, we can navigate these conflicts more effectively and ensure everyone receives appropriate recognition for their work.
On a related note, Tuckman’s model proves relevant in real-world contexts like organizational group development and project oversight. The phases of the model frequently correspond with typical patterns observed in workplace teams, where early disagreements eventually lead to smoother and more cohesive teamwork in the end. However, it is important to acknowledge the model’s limits. ​​The model lacks sufficient coverage of the external influences that form group dynamics and this tends to present a simplified, linear view of team interactions. For instance, the model does not fully account for how cultural differences and organizational changes in global teams can introduce complexities that significantly influence group development, highlighting limitations in its applicability to diverse and evolving team contexts.

Source: https://moodle-courses2425.wolfware.ncsu.edu/pluginfile.php/654178/mod_resource/content/2/40%20Years%20of%20Storming%20Tuckman.pdf