Which action best supports a team in the Storming stage?

Which action best supports a team in the Storming stage?

• A. Encouraging team members and managing conflict
• B. Setting initial expectations
• C. Planning future innovations
• D. Delegating authority fully

Answer: (A)

In the Storming stage, teams are sorting out roles, leadership, and how they’ll work together, and conflicts often surface as people push for influence and clarity. Encouraging team members to speak up and actively managing conflict helps channel that tension into constructive discussions, establish communication norms, and build psychological safety. When conflicts are acknowledged and guided properly, the team starts to align around shared goals, values, and procedures, which is exactly what this stage needs to move forward. Setting initial expectations tends to happen earlier, during formation when everyone is just getting oriented. Planning future innovations fits later stages when roles are clearer and the team is functioning smoothly. Delegating authority fully can create ambiguity and power struggles in Storming, making it harder to establish order until conflicts are addressed.

In the Storming stage, teams are sorting out roles, leadership, and how they’ll work together, and conflicts often surface as people push for influence and clarity. Encouraging team members to speak up and actively managing conflict helps channel that tension into constructive discussions, establish communication norms, and build psychological safety. When conflicts are acknowledged and guided properly, the team starts to align around shared goals, values, and procedures, which is exactly what this stage needs to move forward.

Setting initial expectations tends to happen earlier, during formation when everyone is just getting oriented. Planning future innovations fits later stages when roles are clearer and the team is functioning smoothly. Delegating authority fully can create ambiguity and power struggles in Storming, making it harder to establish order until conflicts are addressed.