Belbin team roles

If team tasks and roles have to be divided, it is useful to learn more about each other's personality. Belbin have identified nine different behaviors that individuals display in the work place. These are called Belbin Team Roles. This team role describes how one behaves, contributes and interrelates with others. A successful team should ideally cover all nine roles. You can take the test with your team and reflect on who is comfortable with which role. This learns you about each other and determine an effective way of dividing tasks in the team. Underneath the nine roles are described in short, the Belbin website provides a more extensive explanation of the roles, or check out this useful handout.

Resource Investigator
This person finds ideas and brings this to the team. He or she is usually outgoing and enthusiastic, but can be over-optimistic.

Teamworker
Help the team to gel, using their own versatility to identify the work required. Strengths are co-operative and are good listeners, but can be indecisive in crunch situations.

Co-ordinator
A focus on the teams objectives and can delegate work appropriately. This person is usually mature and confident, but can be seen as manipulative.

Plant
Tend to be highly creative and strong in solving problems. They are free-thinking and can generate ideas and solutions. However, they might ignore incidentals and tend to not communicate effectively.

Monitor evaluator
Provides a logical eye and weighs the teams options. These persons are strategic and judge accurately. Weaknesses are that they lack the drive and ability to inspire others.

Specialist
Contains in-depth knowledge into the team and is self-starting and dedicated. However, they easily dwell on technicalities.

Shaper
This person typically ensures that the team keeps moving and does not lose focus, he or she is challenging and dynamic, but can be prone to provocation.

Implementer
Plans a workable strategy and carries it out, this person is very practical, reliable and efficient. Weaknesses could be that this person can be inflexible and slow to respond to new possibilities.

Completer Finisher
Outstanding in polishing and scrutinizing work for errors, but can be inclined to worry unduly and is reluctant to delegate.

If you want any more information about thesis writing, be sure to visit our teamwork guided learning or see if there are any teamwork workshops coming up