Team roles
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What role would you be best suited to in a team? Would you like to be in charge? Would you like to hide in a corner? Whatever you would like to do there is a role for you.
There are many different ways of analysing personalities, behaviours and team dynamics, including:
- The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator which categorises team members into 16 different personality types.
- The Clifton Strengths Finder which identifies individuals' talents and natural gifts.
- The DiSC Profile which analyses your personality based on traits such as Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientousness.
- The Colour Code which groups everyone into four colours based on their base motivations: reds (power), blues (intimacy), whites (peace) and yellows (fun).
Each of these tests might be useful in different ways. The method that we're going to use for this badge is the Belbin Test.
The Belbin Test
The Belbin Test looks at the way people behave in teams. It's used around the world to help organisations succeed. The test works by identifying the various roles that individuals find themselves naturally falling into when they work together.
Invented by psychologist Dr Meredith Belbin in the 1970s, the test uses 'Team Role' theory to help show how different people have 'a tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way'.
Getting the mix and balance right among group members is key to building and sustaining successful teams.
The Belbin Test suggests the characteristics required for a successful team fall into 9 behaviour types. These are as follows:
Completer Finisher
Checks everything is accurate.
Co-Ordinator
Splits up tasks between team members.
Implementer
Plans out the team's work in an efficient way.
Monitor Evaluator
Decides on what are the best ways to progress.
Plant
Comes up with solutions to difficult problems and innovative ideas.
Resource Investigator
Goes out and finds interesting ideas for the team to discuss.
Shaper
Completely focussed on continuing to get things done.
Specialist
Provide specific technical knowledge.
Teamworker
Glue the team together and support teammates to complete work.
Most people are a blend of several behaviours and can specialise in one or more of these to fit in with the other team members.
Having read the roles above, which three do you think most suit you?