During which stage of group development do members typically identify shared goals?

The stage of group development where members typically identify shared goals is the forming stage. During this initial phase, team members come together, establish initial relationships, and begin to understand the purpose and objectives of the group. This is a crucial time for the team as they start to explore their identities as a collective and share their expectations of the group.

In the forming stage, individuals are generally polite and tentative while they gather information about one another and the tasks ahead. It is during this time that they collectively begin to define common goals, which will guide their future interactions and teamwork. The focus is on building trust and clarifying roles, which sets the foundation for effective collaboration in later stages.

Other stages involve different dynamics. For instance, in the storming stage, conflict may arise as team members challenge each other’s ideas and explore their roles in a more competitive manner. The norming stage focuses on building cohesion and establishing group norms, while the performing stage is characterized by high levels of cooperation and productivity towards achieving the goals already established. Hence, identifying shared goals is a defining feature of the forming stage.