At which stage of Tuckman's team development is work effectiveness typically at its lowest?

In Tuckman's stages of team development, the storming phase is characterized by conflict and competition among team members as they assert their individual roles and ideas. This phase can involve disagreements and power struggles, leading to a lack of cohesion and communication within the group. As members work through their differences and challenge one another, productivity and work effectiveness are often at their lowest.

During this time, the team is still figuring out how to collaborate effectively, which can hinder their ability to achieve their goals. Once the team navigates through this challenging phase, they can progress to the norming stage, where collaboration improves, and then move on to the performing stage, where work effectiveness is at its highest. Thus, the storming phase is critical for establishing trust and communication, but it is inherently difficult and fraught with challenges, resulting in decreased effectiveness.