Belbin Team Roles isn't just a theory, it's a practical tool to help individuals, teams and organisations work more effectively to achieve business objectives. The only way of finding out individual Belbin Team Role strengths and weaknesses is by completing the Belbin questionnaires and receiving a fully normed and researched Belbin Individual Report crammed full of advice and guidance.
Once you have the Belbin Individual Reports to hand, conversations can start, and change can begin to happen.
Teams offer diversity, promote learning opportunities, address more complex problems, offer flexibility, deliver faster results and can mirror organisational values. Teams don’t just make us better workers, they make us better people. Belbin Team Roles can help:
Belbin is integral to effective management at all levels, from junior managers looking for insights into their teams, to Executive and Senior Management Teams (SMTs). Understanding and utilising the natural talents and motivations of staff is key to great management, and that's where Belbin can help. Belbin Individual Reports provide managers with rich insights into the key behavioural strengths and preferences of their people, allowing them to get the best from each person in their team. Belbin Team Roles can:
The first step to uncovering strengths and weaknesses is for individuals to complete the Belbin questionnaire, called the Self-Perception Inventory, and where possible, to obtain feedback from colleagues and managers.
Once the Belbin Individual Reports have been generated, conversations can begin...
"Leaders who can be trusted are self-aware and know what differentiates them from their colleagues. They are not afraid to reveal their weaknesses and know how to adapt their style to different situations" Rob Goffee, Professor of Organizational Behaviour at London Business School.
Introspection can be difficult, but it's essential for leaders to gauge how effectively they're connecting with staff, and to lead from the front in encouraging behavioural diversity. Belbin is an accessible, rich, people-positive tool which promotes authentic leadership, helping leaders towards an honest assessment of their strengths and shortcomings. Armed with an understanding of their own behaviours, leaders can learn how best to adapt their leadership style to the working environment within their organisation to ensure a positive impact on those they lead.
The synergy – or lack of synergy – between a person and a job can be mysterious and difficult to explain. Given that two candidates look similar on paper, why is one successful in a role and another, not? The language and understanding of Belbin Team Roles can help when:
Conflict usually arises from misunderstanding or lack of communication, and can manifest itself in myriad ways, including lowered morale, reduced productivity and increases in absenteeism. Belbin Team Roles can help to depersonalise problems, focusing on behaviours to avoid personal attacks which can often exacerbate conflict.
Belbin and interpersonal conflict – an individual's Belbin Report (with other team members invited to offer structured feedback by way of Belbin Observer Assessments) offers individuals an opportunity to explore their colleagues' experience of their behavioural contributions. Team and Working Relationship Reports highlight areas of potential conflict and misunderstanding in teams and pairs respectively.
Belbin and cross-team conflict – sometimes, teams become too inwardly-focused and forget their role within the organisation at large. Departmental teams can begin to compete, or dismiss each other's suggestions and outputs, leading to cross-team conflict and reduced productivity. Belbin can offer insights into distinctive team cultures, helping teams use any competitive tendencies to the organisation's advantage!
The first step to uncovering strengths and weaknesses is for individuals to complete the Belbin questionnaire, called the Self-Perception Inventory, and where possible, to obtain feedback from colleagues and managers.
Once the Belbin Individual Reports have been generated, conversations can begin..
Everyone has strengths: talents, knowledge and skills which can be used to advantage at work. And research shows that those who use their strengths are six times more likely to be engaged on the job. Using Belbin as part of an employee engagement programme can:
Often, professionals are promoted on the basis of performance in their current role, only to suffer from stress once they are in the new job. It's an adage commonly known as the 'Peter Principle'. Whilst the new role might come with a desired title and level of responsibility, it often requires particular behaviour that doesn't fit with the individual's preferred Belbin Team Roles. As part of the Belbin process:
In reality, rarely can change management programmes commence by wiping the slate clean. Belbin Team Roles helps teams to adapt to changing goals by highlighting collective strengths and minimising weaknesses. This enables the team to be more cohesive (yet adaptable) in a changing environment.
The first step to uncovering strengths and weaknesses is for individuals to complete the Belbin questionnaire, called the Self-Perception Inventory, and where possible, to obtain feedback from colleagues and managers.
Once the Belbin Individual Reports have been generated, conversations can begin...
Contact us to see how you can use Belbin Team Roles within your organisation, or, if you are an independent consultant, as part of your toolbox.
Phone +44 (0) 1223 264975 email team@belbin.com or complete the form at the bottom of this page. We look forward to hearing from you.
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