Mike Brey really likes his team. I’ve had that impression since he first addressed the media at the beginning of fall practice. He believes the 2016-17 Fighting Irish are better than pundits have predicted.
As I have noted in past seasons. the story of a team’s season unfolds via Bruce Tuckman’s team development model. Tuckman, a psychology professor, identified four stages that teams traverse. The stages are universal truth that have the benefit of rhyming.
- Forming: Learning about the goals, mission, and the individuals involved
- Storming: Roles determined, often with some conflict
- Norming: Roles clarified and accepted
- Performing: Cohesiveness
Good leaders shorten the process, and the process is observable to anyone willing to pay attention.