A team is not a bunch of people with job titles, but a congregation of individuals, each of whom has a role which is understood by other members.
Research showed that the most successful teams were made up of a diverse mix of behaviours. Dr Meredith Belbin and his team discovered that there are nine clusters of behaviour - these were called ' Belbin Team Roles' (see descriptions below).
Each team needs access to each of the nine Belbin Team Role behaviours to become a high performing team. However, this doesn't mean that every team requires nine people! Most people will have two or three Belbin Team Roles that they are most comfortable with, and this can change over time. Each Belbin Team Role has strengths and weaknesses, and each Team Role has equal importance.
However, not all are always required at the same time - it is important to first look at the team objectives, and work out which tasks need to be undertaken. Once this has been done, discussions can take place regarding which and when each Belbin Team Role behaviour should be utilised.
By using Belbin, individuals have a greater self-understanding of their strengths, which leads to more effective communication between colleagues and managers. Great teams can be put together, existing teams can be understood and improved, and everyone can feel that they are making a difference in the workplace.
The only sanctioned way of finding out your Belbin® Team Role strengths and weaknesses is by completing the official Belbin® Self-Perception Inventory online, and receiving a Belbin® Individual Report.
Over 3 million Belbin® Reports have been generated worldwide for individuals, managers, teams and organisations. Contact us to start your Belbin® journey.
