Summary

Moderate levels of workplace anxiety can sharpen focus, boost performance, and enhance self-regulation.
Dispositional anxiety (ongoing job worries) and situational anxiety (specific deadlines/tasks) can both positively impact performance when managed well.
The Completer Finisher and Shaper Belbin Roles are especially linked to anxiety-driven performance, but too much anxiety can backfire.
Teams can support high-anxiety members by setting clear boundaries, managing workload, and adapting communication styles.
Everyone can experience anxiety differently – awareness and role-based strategies help channel it productively and protect wellbeing.

Anxiety isn't always the enemy

Contrary to popular belief, moderate anxiety at work can actually improve focus and performance. Researchers distinguish two types:

Dispositional anxiety: ongoing worry about job performance

Situational anxiety: temporary stress, like deadline pressure

When individuals are motivated, emotionally aware, and competent, this anxiety helps them self-monitor and stay on task – boosting outcomes.

Of course anyone can experience anxiety at work, but in Belbin terms, those with high Completer Finisher and Shaper roles are particularly prone.

Let's look at each in turn.

Completer Finisher

Driven by internal anxiety to deliver near-perfect work. Teams benefit from their precision.
When overloaded or rushed, anxiety can be overwhelming, resulting missed deadlines or burnout.

The team can support them by:

Clearly defining their responsibilities and limits.
Managing workloads to prevent obsessive detail orientation.
Scheduling sufficient time for review and error-checking.

Shaper

Channels anxiety outward, using it for goal-setting, competition, and accountability.
Uses their drive to revitalise stalled teams, but too much can lead to conflict or impatience.

The team can support them by:

Keeping them out of long-winded discussions – just brief them with highlights.
Engaging them in straightforward "task-talk."
Ensuring clear accountability so their drive isn’t wasted.

Other Team Role sources of anxiety

When we understand Team Role behaviours, we can identify other sources of anxiety.

High Teamworkers are likely to become anxious when conflict threatens harmony
Specialists might experience anxiety when others ‘intrude’ (as they would see it) upon their expert territory.
Those with Implementer tendencies are most likely to express their anxiety over change as resistance to it.
Understanding each person’s Team Role styles can help harness anxiety for the team’s benefit, rather than allowing it to compromise performance.

Regardless of role, playing against your strengths can cause a kind of an unhealthy level of dispositional conflict.

If someone is unable to perform a role as expected because their Team Role styles are unsuited to it, this is likely to be frustrating and demotivating for both individual and manager, and may not be resolved until either individual or job is changed.

John Yellow Page 4 Showcase Belbin Team Role Report

How can Belbin help?

Belbin reports can help individuals and teams to understand themselves – and one another – better. Teams can:

Review their team’s Belbin Team report to understand anxiety-prone roles and behaviours.
Use the Team Role Circle to visualise behavioural diversity and balance anxiety-driven roles.
Consider leveraging Belbin reports and coaching to help team members channel their anxiety effectively – supporting high performance and wellbeing.