What is a primary characteristic of the Storming stage in team development?

The Storming stage of team development is primarily characterized by conflict and disagreement among team members. This stage follows the initial forming of the group where members are getting to know each other. As individuals begin to express their opinions and ideas more openly, differences in perspectives, working styles, and priorities often emerge. This can lead to tension and conflict as team members struggle for position and assert their views.

During this stage, the group may experience power struggles, competition, and challenges to ideas or leadership, which are essential to address and work through to foster a healthy team dynamic. Navigating this conflict is crucial for teams as it allows them to better understand each other's strengths and weaknesses and ultimately leads to growth and higher levels of collaboration in the subsequent stages of development.

High cooperation, establishment of ground rules, and formation of friendships are more characteristics of earlier or later stages of team development, like the Forming or Norming stages, where teams are either still building rapport or are moving towards cohesion.