The Belbin® Team Typing
method was pioneered a couple of decades ago, and
has extensive popularity in the UK (where it was
developed, and where it is commonly part of MBA curricula),
Australia and Japan. It has been used by such varying
organizations as BBC, British TeleCom, the House
of Parliament, and the Body Shop.
The Belbin method
is relatively unknown and quite underused in the
US; to my knowledge, I am one of only a handful
of American organizational development consultants
certified in the method.
The Belbin® Team Typing system is a scientifically
proven method for identifying individuals’ preferred
team roles and their likely contributions to the
team. It is predicated on the notion that it takes
9 different team types to build a successful team
(by “successful”, I mean a team that
effectively and harmoniously plans, implements,
and takes a project over the finish line with the
least amount of cost, time, and bloodshed:).
Belbin’s model further states that we all
have each of the 9 types, but in differing ratios.
For example, although two colleagues may both be
primarily “team workers”, Person 1
may have more of that typing than Person 2. In
the event of some kind of conflict that required
building harmony and averting conflict, the former
might be better and more comfortable managing the
conflict than the latter.
Knowing who does what
best can allow each individual to move in and
out of the team process when it most benefits the
team. Not surprisingly, the team members report greater
engagement with the process and more job satisfaction
because they get to use their skills, avoid their
shortcomings, and do more of what they like and
are good at. The upshot is that overall goals
can be achieved faster.
To give you a very general
idea, following are the 9 team types, and some
of their characteristics and functions:
1. Plants: Innovators and inventors who provide the seeds
and ideas from which major developments spring. The “idea” people.
Often used in initial stages of a project or when
a project is failing to progress.
2. Resource Investigators: Enthusiastic extroverts who are skilled at finding
out what is available and what can be done. Good
at exploring and reporting back on ideas. Best
people to set up external contacts and carry out
negotiations outside the group.
3. Monitor Evaluators: High critical thinking ability and a capacity for
shrewd judgments that takes all factors into consideration.
Best suited to analyzing problems and evaluating
ideas and suggestions.
4. Coordinators: Incite
teams to work toward shared goals. Good at spotting
individual talents and using them in pursuit of group
objectives. Best at managing diverse teams.
5. Shapers: Aggressive, with strong drive. Like to lead and
push others into action, and are great at finding
a way around obstacles. Best at sparking life into
a team and guaranteeing positive team action.
6. Teamworkers: Sociable, flexible and adaptive to different situations
and people. Best at preventing interpersonal problems
arising within the team, thus allowing all to contribute
effectively. Best at contributing positively to
team morale.
7. Implementers: Show
good common sense, self-control and discipline. Tackle
problems systematically and have strong organizational
skills. Best at doing what needs to be done, even
if it’s distasteful.
8. Completer Finishers: Great capacity for follow-through and attention
to detail. Won’t start something
they can’t finish. Best at meeting deadlines
and dealing with aspects of projects that require
precision, attention to detail, and follow-up.
9.
Specialists: The “content expert.” Have
high level of technical skill and/or specialized
knowledge. Best at providing the rare skill or input
upon which the organization’s service or
product is based.
Even from these simplistic
descriptors, you can imagine that, for example, a
Plant might be very unhappy (and not very useful)
at tying up the loose ends at the end of a project,
while the Completer Finisher would be in her element.
Belbin® Team
Typing can assist you with not only choosing appropriate
personnel for tasks and putting them into harmonious
and effective working groups, but can also be used
to move individuals in and out of different processes
as the task demands.
Obviously, the Belbin
Team model is not the "be
all and end all", and must be meshed with functional
roles that are required by the one’s work
itself. In my experience, the Belbin model is invaluable
in helping to create strong teams, resolve conflicts,
plan strategically, and increase productivity.
If
you would like to use Belbin® Team Typing
in conjunction with a strategic planning process,
conflict mediation, or team building activity,
please contact me at dana@danagallagher.com.
To
learn more about Belbin® Team Typing, see
www.belbin.com.
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