The Stages

"Individuals play the game, but teams beat the odds." - SEAL Team saying

This week we were given several videos and were asked to identify which stage of Tuckman's Growth Development Theory they fall within:

Clip One: This excerpt from the film Coach Carter displays the "Norming" stage of Group Development. We can observe a team united under one goal, in which they choose to fall, succeed, and struggle together, that is the essence of a team.

Clip Two: The second captures the final moments of the Disney film Aladdin, and thus explores the "Adjourning" stage of Group Development.  This clip falls after the climax of the movie, and thus shows the team parting their separate ways after a successful group effort. Though there is some apprehension in moving forward, all the characters understand that the time has come to say goodbye and head in a new direction.

Clip Three: This next clip is taken from an all time great Remember the Titans, though prior to the coming together of the team. In this excerpt the team is dis-unified, and individuals question one another and reflect on themselves and the team as a whole. This behavior mirrors the "Storming" stage and raises very real tension and issues regarding race and disloyalty.

Clip Four: The last excerpt is taken from Finding Nemo and documents the escape from 42 Wallaby Way Sydney. After careful planning and unification, the time has come for Nemo and his friends to execute the escape plan. Each character plays a part in the escape plot, from the pelican's distraction to the careful placement of the rock to unsanitize the fish bowl, the team came together under a common purpose and are ready to meet their objective of breaking free.  

My Clip: I narrowed the missing stage to "Forming", the initial coming together of a team or group. My clip of choice is from one of my favorite movies The Blind Side, based on a true story. This excerpt highlights the moral, if you will, of the movie that we as individuals show our strength in fighting for the people that matter and stepping up in the face of adversity. Being a leader does not necessarily mean owning the spot light, sometimes being a leader is knowing how to be part of something much larger than ourselves. Michael demonstrates this principle, and brings a misguided and lost football together under the measure of dedication and true commitment to one another and football.