8. Group development and growth
Part of Camp leadership basics, an introductory course on general camp-leadership knowledge. It is not the official material of any certification course.
In this lesson
- Hard and soft skills
- Tuckman's stages applied to camp
- The Johari window
- The comfort-zone idea and its limits
Hard skills and soft skills
Pitching tents, lighting stoves and tying knots are hard skills. Helping each camper grow and keeping a group working together are soft skills. This lesson is about the second.
How groups change
In 1965 Bruce Tuckman reviewed studies of small groups and described a sequence later known as forming, storming, norming and performing; in 1977 he and Mary Ann Jensen added a fifth stage, adjourning. A camp group often follows a similar path:
| Stage | What happens at camp | What the leader does |
|---|---|---|
| Forming (day 1) | Strangers, excitement and worry | Welcome everyone; name the group; sing or play together to build trust |
| Storming | Personalities clash, opinions collide | Return to the shared goal; choose activities that need cooperation; listen to quiet voices |
| Norming | Roles and routines settle | Let natural roles grow; step back gradually |
| Performing | The group runs itself | Support independence; name the growth you've seen |
| Adjourning | The end of camp | Reflect together; help campers carry what they learned home |
Real groups don't always follow the order, and some stages repeat.
Moves that help
- Give everyone a role, and don't overload anyone.
- Share leadership with older or experienced campers, and be ready to catch them if they stumble.
- Gently mix cliques: rotate seating and teams so no one is left out.
The Johari window
Psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham created the Johari window in 1955 (summary from Wikipedia, a secondary source). It sorts what we know about ourselves into four panes: open (known to self and others), blind (known to others, not to self), hidden (known to self, not others) and unknown. At camp, getting to know each other shrinks the hidden pane, and kind feedback at evening meetings shrinks the blind pane. Use it as a reflection tool; never pressure anyone to disclose.
Comfort zone: a useful metaphor
Adventure educators often describe comfort, stretch and panic zones and encourage campers to step just beyond their comfort. Outdoor-education researcher Mike Brown notes that the model is widespread but argues it works better as a metaphor for discussion after an activity than as a model to design programs around. Practically: let each camper choose their own level of challenge with the group's support, and never push anyone into panic.
Think it through
- A homesick camper says, 'I want to go home.' What do you actually do in the next ten minutes?
- Which stage do you think your current group is in, and what's one activity that would help?
Related on this site
Everyday
In any group you lead, give everyone a small role so no one is just a guest.
When it counts
In a shelter or after a disaster, having a role helps people stay connected and active.
Sources and when we checked them
- Tuckman, B. W. (1965), Developmental sequence in small groups (PDF) (checked 2026-10-31)
- Tuckman & Jensen (1977), Stages of Small-Group Development Revisited (PDF) (checked 2026-10-31)
- Wikipedia, Johari window (secondary source) (checked 2026-10-31)
- Brown, M. (2008), Comfort Zone: Model or metaphor? Australian Journal of Outdoor Education (PDF) (checked 2026-10-31)
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