An Analysis of Team Evolution and Maturation

Abstract Although there has been little research emphasis on the temporal aspects of team development, conventional wisdom has suggested that teams develop in a linear fashion through a sequence of phases. More recent investigations of work groups indicate, however, that teams develop through a variety of alternative paths rather than a single sequence of developmental phases. These lines of thinking are integrated here in the form of a model called Team Evolution And Maturation (TEAM), which helps to guide consideration of the development of team performance. The results of an experimental investigation are presented as a preliminary test of the model's suggestion that team development is characterized by the differential maturation of taskwork and teamwork skills. Results indicate that task- and team-related activities were distinguishable in the middle phases of training, but not at the beginning and end of training. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for investigations of team training, performance, and management.