BelBin© TEAM ROLES
Our appearance, our words, our actions, are never greater than ourselves. For the soul is our house, our eyes its windows, and our words its messengers.
~Kahlil Gibran
Dr Meredith Belbin originated the concept in his work described initially in his book, Management Teams: Why They Succeed or Fail (Butterworth Heinemann 1981) and further developed in Team Roles at Work (Butterworth Heinemann 1993). Belbin defined a team role as:
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… a pattern of behaviour characteristic of the way in which one team member interacts with another where performance serves to facilitate the progress of the team as a whole. The value of team-role theory lies in enabling an individual or team to benefit from self knowledge and adjust according to the demands being made by the external situation.
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Belbin conducted extensive studies involving successful and unsuccessful teams. Nine different clusters of behaviour, or “Team Roles”, were identified as underlying the success of teams.
A practical set of computer-based tools was subsequently developed which has enabled the application of Team Role Theory to be applied easily in any organisation as an integral part of human resources management approaches.
A complete BelBin© Profile shows how an individual feels and behaves in a group. The information is valuable on several levels:
Team Roles as a Self-Awareness Tool
A practical set of computer-based tools was subsequently developed which has enabled the application of Team Role Theory to be applied easily in any organisation as an integral part of human resources management approaches.
A complete BelBin© Profile shows how an individual feels and behaves in a group. The information is valuable on several levels:
Team Roles as a Self-Awareness Tool
It is only by knowing ourselves that we have any chance of improving ourselves and achieving our full potential. The BelBin© Team Role process offers a unique insight into the perceptions which we hold about ourselves, as well as the perceptions which others hold of us. Obtaining a personal Team Role analysis is, for most people, an experience of personal awareness and potential growth.
Team Roles as a Tool for Effective Teams
The effective performance of a group of people - a team - is dependent on the way the team is able to interact and draw on the strengths of its members.
People working within a group or team bring to the group two key things. The first is their competency – specialist knowledge, qualifications, experience, etc – which are typically the reasons why they have been hired. The second is the way they work with and contribute to a group, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the group.
The Task focus is concerned with getting the job done. The Team focus is concerned with how the job gets done.
People working within a group or team bring to the group two key things. The first is their competency – specialist knowledge, qualifications, experience, etc – which are typically the reasons why they have been hired. The second is the way they work with and contribute to a group, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the group.
The Task focus is concerned with getting the job done. The Team focus is concerned with how the job gets done.
Team Roles as a Tool for Effective Staff Selection
Typically staff selection and recruitment is based on what we earlier described as the Task focus - usually defined as an individual’s eligibility for the job.
However, research shows a very weak correlation between job eligibility and job performance. Some suggest that few organisations achieve even a fifty percent success rate in selection when depending on traditional eligibility. No matter how “eligible” a person may be, it will often prove impossible for them to overcome serious deficiencies in “suitability”. This represents a major potential cost saving by most organisations.
The BelBin© process can easily produce a profile of the "suitability" requirements profile of any individual job. Applicants can then be compared to determine the most suitable likely appointee.
The same concept can also be used successfully to facilitate succession planning within an organisation.
However, research shows a very weak correlation between job eligibility and job performance. Some suggest that few organisations achieve even a fifty percent success rate in selection when depending on traditional eligibility. No matter how “eligible” a person may be, it will often prove impossible for them to overcome serious deficiencies in “suitability”. This represents a major potential cost saving by most organisations.
The BelBin© process can easily produce a profile of the "suitability" requirements profile of any individual job. Applicants can then be compared to determine the most suitable likely appointee.
The same concept can also be used successfully to facilitate succession planning within an organisation.
Team Roles in Workplace Design
Using the BelBin© process different sorts of work can be categorised and the type of person likely best to be able to perform that work can be identified. Further, different people may “gravitate” towards different categories of work.
These concepts offer organisations the opportunity to gain new understandings as to how work should be arranged, and how strategies for planning and cultural change should be put in place.
We welcome enquiries about the application of Dr Meredith Belbin’s work in your organisation.
We welcome enquiries about the application of Dr Meredith Belbin’s work in your organisation.
