Teams evolve through four phases, often getting stuck in a loop at the first two, and seldom getting past the third to find true team fulfillment. Dean walks through the progress so that, as a leader, you can find your way to the next stage.
Teams evolve through four phases, often getting stuck in a loop at the first two, and seldom getting past the third to find true team fulfillment. Dean walks through the progress so that, as a leader, you can find your way to the next stage.
Do you know what stage your team is in? After years of presence coaching and leadership communication work, I’ve come to believe that teams move through four predictable stages—just like relationships, and even like our own development as human beings. Most teams never make it past stage two. A few reach stage three. Very few ever reach stage four, the stage where teams become not only effective, but energized, connected, and fully alive.
Stage one is the beginning—whether in life, relationships, or team development. As children, everything is thrilling: “Oh my gosh, I have hands! I can move! Look at all these colors!” You don’t question your value. You simply exist and enjoy.
In a relationship, this is the chemistry phase. Everything about the other person feels fascinating, attractive, different in the best possible way.
Teams enter stage one the same way. You form because of differences—diversity of skill, experience, temperament, or perspective. Someone has capital, someone has vision, someone has talent. It feels exciting. It feels promising. It feels like momentum.
Stage two is where most teams get stuck. In life, it’s the moment you enter school and discover competition, conflict, bullies, and pressure. Things get harder. Same with relationships: the idiosyncrasies begin to show. The honeymoon fades. You start noticing flaws.
Teams experience this too. Communication styles clash. Habits irritate. The magic of stage one fades, and what’s left is the reality of working with actual humans. Many teams respond by replacing team members in search of that original spark—cycling endlessly between stage one and stage two, hoping new people will feel magical. They don’t. They’re human.
Stage three is where many high-performing teams land, especially those committed to business development training, leadership communication, and client engagement skills. It’s the phase of accomplishment. In life, this is where you focus on career, goals, social advancement, or growing a family.
In teams, stage three looks like: “Let’s get results.” You become efficient, capable, competitive, and mission-driven. You produce. You deliver. You are a well-oiled machine.
But there’s a risk here: you become a human doing, not a human being. Identity becomes tied to output—performance, deliverables, wins. It’s effective, but not alive.
Stage four is rare—and extraordinary. In life, it’s the stage where you no longer justify your worth through success, status, or achievement. You reconnect with the joy of existence. Life feels fascinating again. Colors feel brighter. You experience ease, curiosity, and presence.
In relationships, this is the phase where love feels like it did at the start—but now grounded in wisdom. You look at your partner and feel the original spark. The differences that once irritated you now enchant you again.
In teams, stage four is where you rediscover one another. You see your colleagues with fresh appreciation. The skills that once clashed now feel complementary. You enjoy working together—not just because you’re effective, but because the people themselves energize you.
This is where confident presence thrives. This is where storytelling for business becomes natural. This is where professional services communication feels human again, not mechanical. Teams in stage four accomplish goals, but are no longer defined by them. They collaborate with ease, curiosity, and genuine enthusiasm.
Take a moment to identify your team’s current stage. Are you cycling between one and two? Stuck in the grind of stage three? Or beginning to access the freedom and vitality of stage four?
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s awareness. Awareness helps you shift from mere productivity to meaningful collaboration—where people feel alive, connected, and valued.
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