Smells Like Team SpiritIntroduction to Belbin’s Team Role Theory and Team DynamicsJuly 16, 2010

Overview

What makes an effective team? What is a team role? Building a balanced team The 9 Team roles

− Preferred roles

What makes an effective team?

Team vs. Group

What is a team role?

“A tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way.”—Meredith Belbin, Ph.D.

Belbin’s Team Role theory is based on 9 years of research at Henley Management College (UK)

Changing facets of teamwork

Once it was: Many hands make light work− Work was straightforward and clear− Specialized tasks were executed by specialized staff− Tools were few and relatively unsophisticated

Now: It takes a diverse range of behaviors and skills …. to make it work− No single individual can “wear all hats” but− You have to be able to play multiple roles− Work is complex and multifaceted− Multi-talents required; project approach− Vast array of skills required and behaviors to master

Teams examined

Some people are better at certain tasks than others — why?

Some teams are productive, and get things done; others less so — why?

Some teams are creative and innovative; what makes them so?

Building a balanced team

Ideally, a productive and effective team will have a mix of:

− Thinkers, planners, creative problem-solvers

− Doers, action-oriented contributors

− Social, interaction-oriented contributors

Building a Balanced Team

Action-Oriented

Cerebral Social

The 9 Team Roles

Plant CoordinatorMonitorEvaluator

Implementer Specialist

ResourceInvestigator

Shaper TeamworkerCompleterFinisher

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The 9 Team Roles: Shaper

Shaper− Charismatic, forceful, personal stake in success, and the

drive to make it happen, often a bit manipulative — entrepreneurial manager

− Ideal “change” and “innovation” manager Strengths:

− Challenges status quo, dynamic, thrives under pressure. Drive and courage to overcome obstacles

Allowable weaknesses:− Takes failure personally, provocative, prone to offending

people’s feelings

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The 9 Team Roles: Coordinator

Coordinator− Consensus-builder, politically astute operator, process and

procedure-oriented− Excellent “maintenance” managers, but ineffective,

sometimes counterproductive “innovation” managers

Strengths:− Mature, confident, clarifies goals, facilitates decision-

making, delegates well

Allowable weaknesses:− Manipulative, offloads personal work

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The 9 Team Roles: Monitor/Evaluator

Monitor-Evaluator− Develops and evaluates scenarios, builds contingency

plans, thinks of everything (that can go wrong) — ideal project manager

Strengths:− Sober, strategic, discerning. Sees all options; has good

judgement

Allowable weaknesses:− Lacks drive and the ability to inspire others

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The 9 Team Roles: Plant

Plant− Autonomously creative, visionary, architect, an idea

generator; thinker rather than do-er

Strengths:− Creative, imaginative, unorthodox; tackles and solves

complex problems

Allowable weaknesses:− Distracted, often poor follow-through, too preoccupied to

communicate effectively, impatient with execution

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The 9 Team Roles: Resource Investigator

Resource-Investigator− Relationship-builder, extroverted, creatively mixes and

matches people and information, big-picture thinker, pragmatic, opportunistic

Strengths:− Extrovert, infectious enthusiasm, great communicator,

explores and exploits opportunities

Allowable weaknesses:− Overly optimistic; dismisses legitimate concerns, loses

interest once initial excitement has passed

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The 9 Team Roles: Team Worker

Team Worker− The motivator, the mediator, a people-oriented worker,

social coordinator and guardian of the team-spirit

Strengths:− Cooperative, collaborative, always ready to help out,

perceptive, high EQ, diplomatic

Allowable weaknesses:− Indecisive in critical situations, gets too emotional

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The 9 Team Roles: Completer/Finisher

Completer-Finisher− Worriers, perfectionists, detail-oriented nitpickers− But: they cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s

Strengths:− Painstaking, conscientious, anxious. Seeks out and identifies

errors and flaws, delivers on time

Allowable weaknesses:− Inclined to worry unduly, reluctant (sometimes incapable) to

delegate

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The 9 Team Roles: Implementer

Implementer− Solid performer, unassuming, loyal, plugs away tirelessly

and gets the job done, do-er rather than thinker

Strengths:− Disciplined, reliable, conservative, efficient. Turns ideas

into practical actions

Allowable weaknesses:− Inflexible, resistant to sudden change, suspicious of new

ideas/approaches

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The 9 Team Roles: Specialist

Specialists− Lone gunmen – but straight shooters− Have all the detailed knowledge nobody else retains –

and will deliver the correct information on request− Have no interest in actual team work

Strengths:− Single-minded, self-starter, dedicated. Contributes

scarce and detailed knowledge and skills when asked

Allowable weaknesses:− Contributes only on a narrow basis; slow to

volunteer information, tends to dwell on technicalities and tools

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Your preferred roles

Everyone can and will play multiple roles.

What roles do you prefer to play?

Will you play any role, if it is necessary?

Which role are you unlikely to play? Why?