Belbin’s Nine Team Roles

Plant

Specialist Resource
Investigator

Completer/Finisher
Co-ordinator

Implementer Shaper

• Thinking roles Teamworker Monitor

• Action roles Evaluator
• Social roles Belbin
 The Nine Team Roles
Team Role Description & Contribution Allowable Weaknesses
Plant Creative, imaginative, Ignores details. Too preoccupied
unorthodox. Solves difficult to communicate effectively
problems.
Resource Extrovert, enthusiastic, Overoptimistic. Loses interest
Investigator communicative. Explores once initial enthusiasm has
opportunities. Develops passed.
contacts.
Co-ordinator Mature, confident, a good Can be seen as manipulative.
chairperson. Clarifies goals, Delegates personal work.
promotes decision-making,
delegates well.
Shaper Challenging, dynamic, thrives Can provoke others. Tends to hurt
on pressure. Has the drive and people's feelings.
courage to overcome obstacles.
Monitor Evaluator Sober, strategic and discerning. Lacks drive and ability to inspire
Sees all options. Judges others. Overly critical.
accurately.
 The Nine Team Roles (cont.)
Team Role Description & Contribution
Teamworker Co-operative, mild, perceptive
and diplomatic. Listens,
builds, averts friction, calms
the waters.
Implementer Disciplined, reliable,
conservative and efficient.
Turns ideas into practical
actions.
Completer Painstaking, conscientious,
anxious. Searches out errors
and omissions. Delivers on
time.
Specialist Single-minded, self-starting,
dedicated. Provides
knowledge and skills in rare
supply.
Allowable Weaknesses
Indecisive in crunch situations.
Can be easily influenced.
Somewhat inflexible. Slow to
respond to new possibilities.
Inclined to worry unduly.
Reluctant to delegate. Can be a
nit-picker.
Contributes on only a narrow
front. Dwells on technicalities.
Overlooks the 'big picture'.
 A Thin Line Can Separate Some Allowable
Weaknesses from Unacceptable Behaviour

Weaknesses
Team Role Allowable Not allowable
Plant Preoccupation with ideas and Strong 'ownership' of idea when
neglect of practical matters co-operation with others would
yield better results
Resource Loss of enthusiasm once initial Letting clients down by neglecting
Investigator excitement has passed to follow up arrangements
Co-ordinator An inclination to be lazy if Taking credit for the effort of a
someone else can be found to team
do the work
Shaper A proneness to frustration and Inability to recover situation with
irritation good humour or apology
Monitor Evaluator Scepticism with logic Cynicism without logic
 A Thin Line Can Separate Some Allowable
Weaknesses from Unacceptable Behaviour

Weaknesses
Team Role Allowable Not allowable
Team Worker Indecision on crucial issues Avoiding situations that may
entail pressure
Implementer Adherence to the orthodox Obstructing change
and proven
Completer Perfectionism Obsessional behaviour

Specialist Acquiring knowledge for its Ignoring factors outside own

own sake area of competance
 1 Personality 6 Role Learning

2 Mental
BEHAVIOUR 5 Experience
Abilities

3 Current values 4 Field

& motivation Constraints
Human Resource Strategies
Throughout The Ages
Criteria for
Era assigning work Method
Pre-industrial By category:
• age
• sex Visual inspection
• tribe
• class
Industrial
By qualifications:
Cartificates
• trade skills
• experience
Selection panel
• education

Post-industrial Computer
By person shape:
matching
• team role
• personal
Counselling
orientation
interview
 The Route to Effective
Leadership

Assess Assess Enhance Create and

Leadership Competency Leaderships Implement
Based Emotional Leadership
Strategic Leadership Intelligence Development Business
Strategic Business
Goals Model Results
Goals Results

Measure & Reward Leadership Development & Performance

Understanding the Dynamics of
Leadership Styles & Climate

Individual
Job/Role
Competencies

Organisational
Performance

Managerial Organisational
Style Climate