CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist) Practice Exam 2026 – Your All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

During the storming stage of team development, members often experience conflict as they begin to express their individual opinions and challenge one another's ideas. This stage is characterized by a struggle for power and the establishment of roles within the team. As team members start to come into contact with differing viewpoints and personalities, misunderstandings and disagreements are likely to emerge.

The conflict experienced in this phase is a natural part of group dynamics—it's an important step that helps teams clarify their goals and establish effective working relationships. Successfully navigating this stage is crucial for teams to progress to the following phases of development, where they will develop norms for collaboration and begin working more cohesively.

In contrast, the forming stage is primarily focused on orientation and getting to know one another, while the norming and performing stages involve increased cohesion and productivity. Thus, the storming phase is specifically where conflict is most prevalent as teams work through their differences.