The Storming stage is characterized by conflict and disagreement as team members assert their individuality and challenge established norms. The Scrum Master's role is most critical and active during this phase. They must act as a coach and mediator, facilitating difficult conversations and resolving conflicts to guide the team toward collaboration and mutual respect. This intensive, hands-on intervention is essential to prevent the team from becoming dysfunctional and is more demanding than the directive guidance in the Forming stage or the facilitative support required in the Norming and Performing stages, where the team becomes progressively more self-organizing.

A. Forming: The Scrum Master is directive, but team conflict is low, requiring less intensive interpersonal intervention compared to the Storming stage.

C. Norming: The team begins to resolve conflicts and self-organize, so the Scrum Master’s active involvement decreases, shifting towards facilitation rather than direct mediation.

D. Performing: The team is highly autonomous and self-managing. The Scrum Master’s role is focused on removing external impediments, requiring minimal internal team intervention.

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1. SCRUMstudy™

A Guide to the Scrum Body of Knowledge (SBOK® Guide)

3rd Edition (2017).

Section 6.2.3.2

Team Building Activities: The guide discusses Tuckman's stages of group development. It describes the Storming stage as a period of conflict where the Scrum Master must coach the team in problem-solving and conflict resolution. This implies a highly active and crucial role to navigate this phase successfully

more so than in other stages where the team is either just beginning (Forming) or becoming self-sufficient (Norming/Performing).

2. Moe

N. B.

Dingsøyr

T.

& Dybå

T. (2010). A teamwork model for understanding an agile team: A case study of a Scrum project. Information and Software Technology

52(5)

480-491.

Section 4.2

Team Development: This study analyzes agile team dynamics. It notes that in the initial phases

corresponding to Forming and Storming

teams face significant challenges in establishing norms and handling disagreements. The study highlights the need for facilitation and coaching to overcome these "stormy" periods before a team can become effective and autonomous

supporting the premise that the facilitator/Scrum Master role is most active during this conflict-ridden stage.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2009.11.004

3. Tuckman

B. W.

& Jensen

M. A. C. (1977). Stages of small-group development revisited. Group & Organization Studies

2(4)

419-427.

Page 421-422

Stage 2: Storming: The original and updated work describes this stage as being characterized by "conflict and polarization around interpersonal issues." A leader's role (analogous to a Scrum Master) is to help the group navigate this conflict to avoid getting stuck

which necessitates a more active and engaged approach than in any other stage.