Done Belbin? Your work is just beginning.

Done Belbin? Your work is just beginning.

One question that comes up time and time again is "Should you redo Belbin?" 

The answer? Absolutely. And here's why.

Belbin measures behaviour, not personality

Whilst personality is relatively fixed, behaviour can and does change depending on our job role, the team around us and the culture in which we’re working.

We can actively make changes too – to grow into a particular role or fulfil aspirations.

Whilst it’s very unusual for our most preferred roles to become least preferred and vice versa, it is possible to cultivate manageable roles until the behaviour comes more naturally.

So what does this mean for you and your Report?

Your Belbin Individual report is a snapshot of your behaviours at work at a particular time. By revisiting Belbin, you can track the changes that may have occurred and evaluate how best to proceed.

Perhaps you have been working on developing some of your strengths since your last Report.

• Are your efforts reflected in the team’s Observer Assessments (their feedback on your behaviours)?
• If so, how will you maintain these changes in behaviour?
• If not, which strategies could you use to work on developing and articulating your strengths more clearly so that others perceive them too?

Belbin balances individual needs with those of the team.

While some personality (or psychometric) tests may encourage individuals in the team to look inward, Belbin aims to focus team members on how they can help meet common objectives, by aligning individual strengths with the team’s needs.

Working to our strengths (and being aware of others’ strengths within the team) boosts engagement, encourages behavioural diversity and mutual respect and builds psychological safety.

Teams are organic – even in long-standing teams, there are shifts in how work is allocated and how people like to work.

Using your Belbin Report to track changes over time

If you’re comparing old and new Belbin Reports, here are a number of useful exercises.

Look at the ‘What Others See’ pages (old and new) side by side.

• Are they any substantial changes, either in your own views or those of your Observers?
• Do these reflect changes you’ve been working on?
• Can you think of examples of the new behaviours your colleagues might have seen?

Words that people use

Look at the ‘List of Observer Responses’ – these are the characteristics that others in your team see. Pay close attention to the top ten words.

• Are there changes?
• If so, can you think of reasons why?
• If not, are there things you would wish to change?

Again, the key is to come up with practical strategies to bring certain behaviours to the fore. Remember, it’s normal to have words corresponding to allowable weaknesses and to have a zero score for lots of words.

Curious? Have you changed?

Are you curious about how your Team Roles may have changed and the efficacy of your personal development strategies? Perhaps it’s time to revisit Belbin with a new Report.

Listen to Lindsay Lalla explain how she uses the Belbin Reports to help leaders.