Belbin’s Team Roles Flashcards
(1 cards)
Question:
What are Belbin’s Team Roles? How do they help teams work better, and how can they be applied in organisations?
Answer:
Meredith Belbin, a British researcher, developed the Team Role Theory in the 1970s after studying what makes teams succeed or fail.
He identified 9 team roles, which are patterns of behaviour people naturally adopt when working in groups.
Success depends not on having the same skills, but on having a balanced mix of roles.
👥 Belbin’s 9 Team Roles:
Role Strengths Weaknesses
1. Plant (PL) Creative, solves problems Poor at following rules
2. Resource Investigator (RI) Outgoing, explores opportunities Over-optimistic, easily distracted
3. Co-ordinator (CO) Good leader, delegates well May appear bossy or manipulative
4. Shaper (SH) Pushes team forward, challenges May offend others, aggressive
5. Monitor Evaluator (ME) Logical, critical thinker Overly cautious, slow to act
6. Teamworker (TW) Diplomatic, helps team bond Avoids confrontation, indecisive
7. Implementer (IMP) Reliable, turns plans into action Resists change
8. Completer Finisher (CF) Detail-oriented, perfectionist Worries too much, reluctant to delegate
9. Specialist (SP) Deep knowledge in a key area Narrow focus, avoids wider teamwork
🧠 How It’s Used at Work:
Team building – Balance roles to avoid gaps (e.g. no completers = missed deadlines)
Project planning – Assign tasks based on strengths
Conflict reduction – Helps people understand and respect different work styles
✅ Why It Matters:
Encourages diversity of strengths in teams
Boosts communication, collaboration, and productivity
Helps leaders assign roles effectively
⚠️ Limitations:
Doesn’t measure technical skill or job ability
People may shift roles in different situations
Requires self-awareness and team trust
