Phase I: Forming

Symptoms
Interventions
Superficial sharing of name and background information.
Create icebreakers (potlucks, information discussions).
Members size up and test each other; categorize by professional roles and status.
Discuss formal and potential informal roles of members; verbalize stated team goals.
Members guarded, more impersonal than personal, some active, and most passive.
Encourage informal time to get to know one another.
Uncertain about team membership.
New team – discusses and agrees on core and secondary team membership. New team member – mentor should discuss and assure understanding.
Conflict is neither discussed nor addressed.
Encourage conflict recognition as an opportunity for creative problem solving.

©2000, Drinka, TJK and Clark, PG (2000) Health Care Teamwork: Interdisciplinary Practice and Teaching. Westport CT, Auburn House. All rights reserved