Team Roles by Dr. Meredith Belbin

Background

• Developed by Dr. Meredith Belbin in the 1970s.
• Conducted research at Henley Management College, Oxfordshire, England.
• Focus on what makes a winning team.

Key Findings

• Successful teams require a range of abilities.
• Specialization is crucial; a team of specialists will outperform a team of all-rounders.

Team Roles Overview

• Belbin identified nine team roles that contribute to successful team dynamics.
• Roles can be grouped into three categories:
  • Thinking-oriented roles
  • People-oriented roles
  • Action-oriented roles

1. Thinking-Oriented Roles

• Plants:
  • Highly creative and imaginative.
  • Solve problems in unconventional ways.
• Monitor Evaluators:
  • Logical thinkers.
  • Weigh options and make impartial judgments.
• Specialists:
  • Have detailed knowledge of a specific area (e.g., Nuclear Physics).

2. People-Oriented Roles

• Coordinators:
  • Manage the team and delegate tasks.
  • Focus on team objectives.
• Team Workers:
  • Heart and soul of the team.
  • Versatile, providing assistance to all members.
• Resource Investigators:
  • Have market insight and knowledge of competition.
  • Connect team ideas to the external world.

3. Action-Oriented Roles

• Shapers:
  • Leaders who drive the team forward.
• Implementors:
  • Practical planners who efficiently carry out tasks.
• Completer Finishers:
  • Focus on quality control and final touches at the task's end.

Key Points to Remember

• Not every successful team requires nine members; roles can be shared.
• Individual team members may take on multiple roles.
• The roles are tools for managing team awareness, integration, and efficiency.
• Promotes the concept of a team of specialists as a winning strategy.