What is established when ground rules for decision making are not clearly defined?

When ground rules for decision making are not clearly defined, it leads to the storming phase of team development. During the storming phase, team members may experience conflicts, power struggles, and confusion about roles and responsibilities. This occurs because the lack of clear guidelines creates uncertainty, leading to disagreements and a struggle for dominance or clarity among team members.

In this phase, team members may challenge each other's ideas and authority, seeking to establish their positions within the team. Without explicit ground rules, decision-making processes can become chaotic, resulting in frustration and disengagement among team members. It’s essential for teams to address these conflicts and establish clear ground rules to move on to the next phase of development, which is norming, where members start to find common ground and establish more effective collaborative practices.