According to Vincent Lenhardt, any group of individuals who form a team goes through different stages of maturity. The higher the stage, the higher the team’s performance.

Stage 1: The collection of individuals

This is the primary stage of a team: individuals do not really work together. The development of the team is mainly focused on the skills and technical expertise of each. There are few discussions and little autonomy which increases competition between the members of the team. Achievement of personal goals prevails. The ability to solve complex problems is low.

To move to Stage 2, team members need to prioritise collective performance over individual performance.

Stage 2: The united group

At this stage, individuals are focused on the group and relationships within the group. To develop collective performance, more listening takes place within the team and everyone continuously seeks to improving the way they work. Individualities gradually disappear for the benefit of the team. Employees are autonomous, take the initiative spontaneously and solve complex problems together.

Stage 3: The high-performance and united team

According to Vincent Lenhardt this is the final stage of team operation. At this stage, the team is guided by a shared vision. Employees are driven by the direction they are given. In addition, each individual has a holomorphic vision of the team: each person is a part of the team and at the same time represents the entire team. In other words everyone knows their role and each element becomes an essential link in the overall functioning of the team.

The transition from the united group to the high-performance and united team means no longer prioritising the relationship but rather the common good, the purpose of the team.