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An overview of the eight original Belbin team roles - Implementer, Team Worker, Shaper, Plant, Coordinator, Monitor-Evaluator, Resource Investigator, and Completer Finisher. It also includes the ninth role, Specialist, with their characteristics, functions, strengths, and allowable weaknesses.
Typology: Study notes
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The original personal skill inventory identified eight team roles which are described below, plus the SPECIALIST (Page 10), a ninth team role which was added at a later date.
IMPLEMENTERS (Page 2)
WORKERS
TEAM WORKERS (Page 3)
MONITOR EVALUATORS (Page 7)
ANALYSTS
COMPLETER FINISHERS (Page 9)
PLANTS (Page 5)
IDEAS PEOPLE
RESOURCE INVESTIGATORS (Page 8)
CO-ORDINATORS (Page 6)
LEADERS
SHAPERS (Page 4)
Characteristics Implementers are well organised, enjoy routine and have a practical common sense attitude and self- discipline. They favour hard work and tackle problems in a systematic fashion. On a wider front they hold unswerving loyalty to the organisation and are less concerned with the pursuit of self-interest.
However, Implementers may find difficulty in coping with new situations.
Function
Implementers are useful because of their reliability and capacity for application. They succeed because they have a sense of what is feasible and relevant. It is said that many executives only do the jobs they wish to do and neglect those tasks they find distasteful. By contrast, Implementers will do what needs to be done. Good Implementers often progress to high management positions by virtue of good organisational skills and efficiency in dealing with all necessary work.
Strengths
Organisational ability, practical common sense, hard working, self-discipline
Allowable Weaknesses
Lack of flexibility, resistance to unproven ideas
Characteristics
Highly strung, outgoing, dynamic.
Shapers are highly motivated people with a lot of nervous energy and a great need for achievement. Often they seem to be aggressive extroverts with strong drive. Shapers like to challenge, to lead and push others into action – and to win. If obstacles arise they will find a way round – but can be headstrong and emotional in response to any form of disappointment or frustration. Shapers can handle, and even thrive on, confrontation.
Function
Shapers generally make good managers because they generate action and thrive on pressure. They are excellent are sparking life into a team and are very useful in groups where political complications are apt to slow things down. Shapers are inclined to rise above problems of this kind and forge ahead regardless. They like making necessary changes and do not mind taking unpopular decisions. As the name implies, they try to impose some shape and pattern on group discussion or activities. They are probably the most effective members of a team in guaranteeing positive action.
Strengths
Drive and a readiness to challenge inertia, ineffectiveness, complacency or self-deception
Allowable Weaknesses
Prone to provocation, irritation and impatience and a tendency to offend others
Characteristics
Individualistic, serious-minded, unorthodox
Plants are innovators and inventors and can be highly creative. They provide the seeds and ideas from which major developments spring. Usually they prefer to operate by themselves at some distance from the other members of the team, using their imagination and often working in an unorthodox way. They tend to be introverted and react strongly to criticism and praise. Their ideas may often be radical and may lack practical constraint.
They are independent, clever and original and may be weak in communicating with other people on a different wave-length.
Function
The main use of a Plant is to generate new proposals and to solve complex problems. Plants are often needed in the initial stages of a project or when a project is failing to progress. Plants have often made their mark as the founders of companies or as originators of new products.
Too many Plants in one organisation, however, may be counter-productive as they tend to spend their time reinforcing their own ideas and engaging each other in combat.
Strengths
Genius, imagination, intellect, knowledge
Allowable Weaknesses
Up in the clouds, inclined to disregard practical details or protocol.
Characteristics
Sober, unemotional, prudent
Monitor Evaluators are serious-minded, prudent individuals with built-in immunity from being over-enthusiastic. They are slow deciders who prefer to think things over – usually with a high critical thinking ability. Good Monitor Evaluators have a capacity for shrewd judgements that take all factors into account and seldom give bad advice.
Function
Monitor Evaluators are at homes when analysing problems and evaluating ideas and suggestions. They are very good at weighing up the pros and cons of options and to outsiders can seem dry, boring or even over-critical. Some people are surprised that they become managers. Nevertheless, many Monitor Evaluators occupy key planning and strategic posts and thrive in high- level appointments where a relatively small number of decisions carry major consequences.
Strengths
Judgement, discretion, hard-headedness
Allowable Weaknesses
Lack of inspiration or the ability to motivate others
Characteristics
Extroverted, enthusiastic, curious, communicative
Resource Investigators are good communicators both inside and outside the organisation. They are natural negotiators, adept at exploring new opportunities and developing contacts. Although not necessarily a great source of original ideas, they are quick to pick up other people’s ideas and build on them. They are skilled at finding out what is available and what can be done, and usually get a warm welcome because of their outgoing nature.
Resource Investigators have relaxed personalities with a strong inquisitive sense and a readiness to see the possibilities of anything new. However, unless they remain stimulated by others, their enthusiasm rapidly fades.
Function
Resource Investigators are quick to open up and exploit opportunities. They have an ability to think on their feet and to probe others for information. They are the best people to set up external contacts, to search for resources outside the group, and to carry out any negotiations that may be involved.
Strengths
A capacity for finding useful people and promising ideas or opportunities, and a general source of vitality
Allowable Weaknesses
Liable to lose interest once the initial fascination has passed
Characteristics
Single minded and a self-starter, dedicated
Function
The specialist is often needed in the team to provide specialist knowledge. Belbin said that the rarer the supplier of this knowledge, the more dedicated the specialist.
Strengths
Very knowledgeable, self-reliant and single-minded, keen to impart their wisdom
Allowable weaknesses
Dwells on technicalities, can get stuck in their niche and show little interest in the outside world
