BELBIN® TEAM ROLES

Ever since J Meredith Belbin wrote his landmark book Management Teams: Why They Succeed and Fail, the typologies he introduced have been used by organisations around the world to improve team functioning and intra-organisational communication. Full details of this proprietary methodology can be found at the Belbin® website The Belbin metholodogies have been developed and refined over a period of 25 years, and their validity has been extensively tested in practice and against complementary tools such as 16PF and OPQ.

Unlike other instruments which are psychological analyses of the individual, the Belbin instrument focuses on the team as a whole. Because teams need every single one of the team roles that have been identified, participants can feel confident that their contribution - if appropriately and competently executed - will be of value to the organisation. There are versions of the instrument that recognise a Specialist role outside the team as well.

The Belbin e-interplace® application produces detailed profiles for each individual within the team, plus a separate report that analyses how those individuals are likely to interact within the team setting. In addition to the self-perception inventory completed by each team member, the reliability and validity of the instrument is improved if each individual is independently rated by up to six “observers” to provide a “360°” view. In our experience, at least three observer reports are essential if reliance is to be placed on the outputs from the instrument.

The results from the Belbin instrument form a powerful vehicle for a leadership team to discuss the ways they interrelate and communicate. Team relationships are often fractious because of differences in the ways that people learn and communicate and once these differences are understood, the relationships rapidly improve. Similarly, communication between team members is typically based either on organisational protocols or the preferences of the sender. Understanding how the receiver communicates can be invaluable in establishing rapport and support across the team.

We can work with you to apply the instrument and coach team members through new strategies for communication and collaboration.