When a team starts working, they usually go through 5 different stages.
This stages are:
Forming: it takes place when the team first meets each other. They form first impressions of each other and learn about the project they will be working on and the role they will plan on it.
Storming: as they start working together, the members compete with each other for status and acceptance of their ideas. The difference in opinions on how to get things done can cause conflicts within the team. This stage finishes when the team becomes more accepting of each other and learn how to work together.
Norming: This is when they start to work more effectively as a team. They focus on their common goals rather than on their individual goals. They respect each other opinion and value their differences. They feel comfortable talking about them.
Performing: The team functions at a very high level. They focus on reaching the goal as a group.
Adjourning: The project is coming to an end and members of the team are moving off into different directions.
In the example, the team adheres to patterns of behavior where members feel free to constructively criticize each other. They are not competing against each other so they already went through the Storming phase.
On the other hand, they are working towards one goal and<u> by criticizing each other they value their differences and talk about them in a constructive manner</u>.
Thus, this is a characteristic of the Norming stage of team development.
