Team Roles: Belbin

We are all part of many teams at work

We all tend to be part of many teams in the workplace, rarely do we work as isolated individuals. 

Sometimes we are the leader, sometimes we are a team member, sometimes we are the expert.

As we move from team to team, whether they be a permanent or temporary team, like a project team, we perform different functions.

Having clear roles, accountabilities and responsibilities helps a team perform more effectively as performance and contribution requirements are clear.

If everyone understands the role each person is playing then understanding, collaboration and support grows across the team.

Teamwork

Teamwork has a better chance of success if roles are understood, whether these are formally allocated as part of an organisational structure or project set up, or just evolve from a group of peers.

Team Roles

Regardless of our organisational status, or the status of the group we are with at any particular time, we will behave in a certain manner and assume various 'Team Roles' in the structure we find ourselves in.

One of the most well known researchers into Team Roles is Dr Meredith Belbin.  His research identified nine Team Roles, that when combined, assist a team to perform more effectively.

Belbin's Team Roles will help you consider your team's behaviour and how each individual contributes.

Team Role understanding helps you as a leader identify your strengths and weaknesses across the team, helping you formulate changes and development activity for better performance.

The other benefit in understanding Team Roles is the checks and balances you can perform on the team; if you recognise many team members behaving in a way consistent with one role, the team may have 'Team Role' gaps that hinder performance.  

Having large Team Role gaps can lead to team behaviour that is imbalanced and produces less than optimum team performance.

Join and use this topic to learn more about Team Roles, assess the balance of roles in your team and identify opportunities to improve performance