During which stage of group development is conflict typically managed?

Conflict is a natural and often essential part of group development, and it is most prominently managed during the storming stage. During this phase, team members typically experience disagreements over roles, responsibilities, and differing opinions on how to approach tasks. These conflicts arise as individuals assert their ideas and perspectives, which can lead to tension within the group.

In the storming stage, effective conflict management practices are crucial for the team to progress toward improved collaboration. Team members begin to confront their differences, and through this process, they start to understand each other better and work towards resolving disagreements. This resolution of conflicts helps to clarify roles and establish trust, which are critical for the team to move into the subsequent stages of development.

Other stages focus either on forming initial connections, establishing group norms, or executing tasks. However, it is during the storming stage that conflict typically surfaces and needs to be actively managed for the group to achieve cohesion and effectiveness moving forward.