This case study originated from a conversation recorded during Belbin Day 2026, marking what would have been Dr Meredith Belbin's 100th birthday.
The focus of the event was simple: to showcase the real impact of Belbin in organisations today.
Through stories from customers around the world, we explored how a shared Team Role language helps teams collaborate more effectively, develop stronger leaders and deliver better outcomes.
For a business spanning hospitality operations, brewing and distribution, creating a common approach to teamwork is no simple task. At Butcombe Group, Belbin helps provide that consistency, giving teams a shared language for understanding strengths, contributions and team dynamics across very different parts of the organisation.
For Lee Hall, Head of Learning & Development, that shared language is having a tangible impact on leadership development, team effectiveness and performance.
"It gives us a consistent way of understanding our teams across very different parts of the business."
Although Belbin has only been embedded formally for the last eighteen months, Lee says its impact is already visible in how people understand themselves, their colleagues and the challenges they face every day.
The journey began with Butcombe's senior teams. The aim was to help Belbin become part of the culture, but the impact quickly extended beyond individual reports.
Leaders gained a clearer understanding of their strengths, gaps and overlaps, while also developing a common language to discuss team dynamics.
"Instead of people talking vaguely about personalities and styles, we talk about behaviours and contributions."
That shift has had a practical impact.
It has made conversations easier, more open and more constructive. Rather than relying on assumptions, teams have a practical framework for understanding how people contribute and where they add value.
The real breakthrough came when Belbin became woven into leadership development programmes.
Bespoke sessions explored challenges such as influencing, leading change, coaching conversations and improving team culture. Rather than sitting alongside these topics, Belbin became the lens through which leaders viewed them.
"This is where Belbin really came to life for us and probably had its greatest impact."
"Leaders began to see Belbin as something practical. It became a lens they could use to understand why certain situations were working, why others were getting stuck, and how they might adapt their own approach."
For Lee, another benefit is that Belbin helps bring other leadership models to life because people can immediately recognise the behaviours involved and relate them to real situations.
Throughout the programme, leaders are encouraged to focus on one question:
"What is the evolution and impact that you want to see, and how will it be different now?"
That focus on development has encouraged leaders to think deliberately about how they build and lead cross-functional teams.
According to Lee, the results have been tangible.
"We've seen better use of team resources and projects delivered timelier as a result."
Using Belbin helps leaders think more intentionally about who contributes what, where strengths should be channelled and how behavioural diversity can improve project outcomes.
One particularly memorable example involved a senior leader who became more aware of how their behaviour affected others.
Through their Belbin journey, they developed a better understanding of their strengths and allowable weaknesses and adjusted their approach when working in cross-functional teams.
As Lee explains, the shift was visible in how that individual contributed to the wider group.
"There was a shift in how they behaved afterwards."
"Their willingness to keep their allowable weaknesses a little bit more in check and channel their strengths a little bit more for the benefit of the rest of the group."
For Lee, this kind of behavioural change illustrates the true power of Belbin. It is not about labels. It is about helping people understand the impact they have on others and adapting accordingly.
Another benefit has emerged when teams come together for projects or development programmes.
Because people already understand one another's strengths, preferred contributions and allowable weaknesses, teams can become effective more quickly.
"Things are faster because people have a better understanding of who's in that room or who's sat around that table."
Leaders know who to draw upon in different situations and can tap into people's strengths at the right time. That shared understanding reduces the time normally required for teams to establish ways of working and build trust.
Today, the focus is on taking the next step.
Belbin is no longer just a starting point for development programmes. By introducing behavioural assessments throughout the learning journey, Butcombe is beginning to track progression as well as awareness.
"We're getting to the point where we can start proving more of the impact rather than relying solely on anecdotal evidence."
Using comparison reports and repeat assessments, the organisation is building a clearer picture of how people develop over time and whether they are ready for the next stage of their growth.
For Lee, that's where the real value lies.
"We move from being able to say we've seen a positive change to being able to directly evidence that change and show the difference that Belbin is making."
For Lee, that is the next stage of the journey.
A shared language has already strengthened leadership conversations and improved team understanding. The focus now is on demonstrating measurable progress and continuing to help teams perform at their best.
"That's where I see the real value and impact of Belbin in practical terms: helping our teams progress and being able to perform better."
To listen to Lee's contribution to Belbin Day, watch the YouTube recording here.
Get in touch using the form below if you are inspired to use Belbin with in your organisation.