About this Resource

Managing Research Projects

Managing Research Projects

Belbins Team Roles

[c]

Although somewhat old now, this system of identifying working styles is still very useful and easy to use. From his work in the 1970s, Dr Meredith Belbin identified 12 key styles (or team roles) required for successful and effective team work:

  • Plant
  • Resource investigator
  • Co-ordinator
  • Shaper
  • Monitor evaluator
  • Teamworker
  • Implementer
  • Completer finisher
  • Specialist

See the Belbin website for full details of these descriptors.

His belief was that each individual could fulfil more than one of the team roles simultaneously and that the roles that individuals undertook could change over time. 

As a tool for the Research Team Leader, Belbin Team Roles could be useful in helping to identify gaps or weaknesses in the team.  For example, if the team struggles to meet a deadline perhaps no-one is naturally taking on the `completer finisher’ role.  This could be remedied by asking one of the researchers in particular to co-ordinate contributions to a task…or maybe this is a job for the Research Team Leader!

An online Belbin Team Roles questionnaire is available  on their website. Please note there is a charge for this service.
Website: http://www.belbin.com/

 

professional development