W HY ?? Ever wondered why some teams just seem to work and others hit the rocks? When things don’t work, it has a great impact on the people involved, as well as the project or objective to be achieved. In 1970’s Dr. Meredith Belbin set out observing teams. The research revealed that the difference between success and failure for a team was not dependent on factors such as intellect…. but more on behaviour.

T HE T EAM R OLES By Dr. MeredithBelbin

W HAT IS TEAM ROLE ? Tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way.

W HY W E NEED TO STUDY T EAM R OLES Provide a common language to talk about how people behave in the work place.

T HE 9 TEAM ROLES 1) Plant 2) Monitor Evaluator 3) Co-ordinator 4) Resource Investigator 5) Implementers 6) Complete Finisher 7) Teamworker 8) Shaper 9) Specialist

1. PLANT one such individual was “planted” in each team – the Innovator, turning out loads of radical ideas. highly creative and good at solving problems in unconventional ways -unorthodox

2. M ONITOR E VALUATOR provide a logical eye, make impartial judgements where required -analytical weigh up the team’s options in a dispassionate way - objective

3. C O - ORDINATORS focus on the team’s objectives and draw out team members Calm, self confident and decisive when necessary. The social leader of the group, ensuring individuals contribute fully and guiding the team to success

4. R ESOURCE I NVESTIGATORS The extrovert, enthusiastic communicator, with good connections outside the teams. Enjoys exploring new ideas, responds well to challenges, and creates this attitude amongst others.

5. I MPLEMENTERS to plan a practical, workable strategy – disciplined and reliable carry it out as efficiently as possible.

6. C OMPLETER F INISHERS most effectively used at the end of a task, to “polish” and scrutinise the work for errors, subjecting it to the highest standards of quality control – perfectionist and accurate

7. T EAMWORKERS helped the team to gel, using their versatility to identify the work required and complete it on behalf of the team.

8. S HAPERS Energetic, highly strung, with a drive to get things done provide the necessary drive to ensure that the team kept moving and did not lose focus or momentum.

9. SPECIALISTS individual with in-depth knowledge of a key area – single minded, self reliant and knowledgeable

TEAM ROLESTRENGTHSWEAKNESSES PlantCreative, imaginative, original, offers alternative approaches Pre-occupied by thoughts and may not be communicative Monitor Evaluator Logical, analytical, discerning, makes decision based on facts Appears slow moving, lacks drive and may appear uninspiring Co-ordinatorCalm, confident, clarifies goals, promotes joint decision making Can be seen as manipulative, off-loads personal work Resource Investigators Enthusiastic, communicative, explores opportunities, develops contracts Over-optimistic, easily bored and can lose interest

TEAM ROLESTRENGTHSWEAKNESSES ImplementersDisciplined, organised, efficient, turns idea into actions Somewhat inflexible, slow to embrace change or accept new ideas Complete Finishers Accurate, conscientious, meticulous perfectionist Inclined to worry unduly, reluctant to delegate TeamworkersCooperative, caring, diplomatic, sensitive, averts friction Maybe indecisive when faced with tough decisions ShapersChallenging, dynamic, goal-oriented, has drive and courage Prone to provocation and can be blunt and upset people SpecialistSingle-minded, motivated by the pursuit of knowledge Contributes on a narrow front, dwells on technicalities

B ALANCE IS KEY Each of the behaviours were essential in getting the team successfully from start to finish. For example a team with no Plant struggled to come up with the initial spark of an idea with which to push forward. However, with too many Plants bad ideas will concealed good ones and non-starters were given too much airtime. Similarly, with no Shaper, the team ambled along without drive and direction, missing deadlines With too many Shapers, in-fighting began and morale was lowered.

CONCLUSION Role identification can be used as a form of team building : it reinforces the fact that everyone is bringing something to the team, so you all need each other if you are to be successful. The brief descriptions were of “pure” roles that you’re unlikely to find in practice : what you saw depends on the mix of preferred roles in each individual. Although your preferred roles are relatively unchanging over time, most of us can perform two or three roles – which is important if you have a team of less than 9 people.

T EAM R OLE P REFERENCES By completing a Belbin-Self Perception Inventory