You have been assigned to lead a new program. ... In which stage of the team life cycle process are you operating?

• A. Storming
• B. Forming
• C. Norming
• D. Performing

Answer: (B)

In this situation, the team is in the forming stage. When a new program is launched and you’ve been assigned to lead, the group is just coming together, roles and goals are not yet clear, and members are learning about the project and each other. Your focus is to set direction and establish the foundation: define the program’s purpose and objectives, assign roles and responsibilities, decide how decisions will be made, determine governance and communication norms, and outline initial plans and success criteria. You’ll also work on building trust, aligning expectations, and creating working agreements that will guide how the team operates. As you move forward, the team may move into other stages where dynamics shift—conflicts arise, norms are established, and ultimately the team can perform with greater autonomy. But at the start, guiding the team through formation is exactly what you’re doing.