Team Building

What are the characteristics of an effective team member?

The ideal person should be 1. Highly intelligent but not too clever 2. Highly forceful/assertive but not insensitive to other peoples needs 3. Dynamic whilst being patient 4. Fluent communicator but also a good listener 5. Decisive but reflective when necessary
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Team Building
What are the characteristics of an effective team?
shared objectives commitment to the team all members participate fully

Belief

Free flow of communications and information

decision making by consensus open expression of feelings and disagreements resolution of conflict by team members

norms and values of the team mutual trust and dependency

Acceptance

Gestalt principle - output of the whole is greater than the sum of the output of individuals
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Belbins Team Roles (1981)

Most widely used tool to support team building
Define and predict potential success of teams

Strongest teams have a diversity of characters and personality types

www.belbin.com

A team role: a tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way
Three types exist: Action oriented roles People oriented roles Cerebral roles
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Belbins Team Roles (1981)

(Action-oriented, cerebral
(=)

roles), people-oriented

Overall

Belbin roles
Shaper Completer/Finisher

Description
Well-organized and predictable. Takes basic ideas and makes them work in practice. Can be slow. Lots of energy and action, challenging others to move forwards. Can be insensitive. Reliably sees things through to the end, ironing out the wrinkles and ensuring everything works well. Can worry too much and not trust others. Solves difficult problems with original and creative ideas. Can be poor communicator and may ignore the details. Sees the big picture. Thinks carefully and accurately about things. May lack energy or ability to inspire others. Has expert knowledge/skills in key areas and will solve many problems here. Can be disinterested in all other areas. Respected leader who helps everyone focus on their task. Can be seen as excessively controlling.

Implementer Doing / acting (action-oriented)

Thinking / problem-solving (cerebral)

Plant

Monitor/Evaluator Specialist

People / feelings Coordinator (people-oriented)

Team worker
Resource/investigator

Cares for individuals and the team. Good listener and works to resolve social problems. Can have problems making difficult decisions.
Explores new ideas and possibilities with energy and with others. Good networker. Can be too optimistic and lose energy after the initial flush. 4

Belbins Team Roles (1981)

Another way of dividing them is: Balanced teams: Teams work best when there is a balance of primary roles and when team members know their roles, work to their strengths and actively manage weaknesses. To achieve the best balance, there should be: One Co-ordinator or Shaper (not both) for leader A Plant to stimulate ideas A Monitor/evaluator to maintain honesty and clarity One or more Implementer, Team worker, Resource investigator or Completer/finisher to make things happen

Overall

Belbin role

Leading
Doing Thinking

Coordinator
Shaper Implementer Completer/finisher Monitor/Evaluator Plant Specialist

Socializing

Resource/investigator
Team Worker

Belbins roles (an overview)