TEAM ROLES (Meredith Belbin)
A SELF PERCEPTION INVENTORY
DIRECTIONS: For each section distribute a total of ten points among the sentences which you think best describe your behaviour. These points may be distributed among several sentences: in extreme cases they might be spread among all the sentences or ten points may be given to a single sentence. Enter the points in the Summary Table.
1. What I believe I can contribute to a team:
a)I think I can quickly see and take advantage of new opportunities.
b)I can work well with a very wide range of people.
c)Producing ideas is one of my natural assets.
d)My ability rests in being able to draw people out whenever I detect they have something of value to contribute to group objectives.
e)My capacity to follow through has much to do with my personal effectiveness.
f)I am ready to face temporary unpopularity if it leads to worthwhile results in the end.
g)I am quick to sense what is likely to work in a situation with which I am familiar.
h)I can offer a reasoned case for alternative courses of action without introducing bias or prejudice.
- If I have a possible shortcoming in teamwork. it could be that:
a)I am not at ease unless meetings are well structured and controlled and generally well conducted.
b)I am inclined to be too generous towards others who have a valid viewpoint that has not been given a proper airing.
c) I have a tendency to talk a lot once the group gets on to new ideas.
d)My objective outlook makes it difficult for me to join in readily and enthusiastically with colleagues.
e)I am sometimes seen as forceful and authoritarian if there is a need to get something done.
f)I find it difficult to lead from the front, perhaps because I am over- responsive to group atmosphere.
g)I am apt to get caught up in ideas that occur to me and so lose track of what is happening.
h)My colleagues tend to see me as worrying unnecessarily over detail and .the possibility that things may go wrong.
- When involved in a project with other people:
a)I have an aptitude for influencing people without pressurizing them.
b)My general vigilance prevents careless mistakes and omissions being made.
c)I am ready to press for action to make sure that the meeting does not waste time or lose sight of the main objective.
d)I can be counted on to contribute something original.
e)I am always ready to back a good suggestion in the common interest.
f)I am keen to look for the latest in new ideas and developments.
g)I believe my capacity for cool judgement is appreciated by others.
h)I can be relied upon to see that all essential work is organized.
4.My characteristic approach to group work is that:
a)I have a quiet interest in getting to know colleagues better.
b)I am not reluctant to challenge the views of others or to hold a minority view myself.
c)I can usually find a line of argument to refute unsound propositions.
d)I think I have a talent for making things work once a plan has to be put into operation.
e)I have a tendency to avoid the obvious and to come out with the unexpected.
f)I bring a touch of perfectionism to any team I undertake.
g)I am ready to make use of contacts outside the group itself.
h)While I am interested in all views I have no hesitation in making up my mind once a decision has to be made.
5.I gain satisfaction in a job because:
a)I enjoy analysing situations and weighing up all the possible choices.
b)I am interested in finding practical solutions to problems.
c)I like to feel I am fostering good working relationships.
d)I can have a strong influence on decisions.
e)I can meet people who may have something new to offer.
f)I can get people to agree on a necessary course of action.
g)I feel in my element where I can give a task my full attention.
h)I like to find a field that stretches my imagination.
6.If I am suddenly given a difficult task with limited time and unfamiliar people:
a)I would feel like retiring to a corner to devise a way out of the impasse before developing a line.
b)I would be ready to work with the person who showed the most positive approach, however difficult she/he might be.
c)I would find some way of reducing the size of this task by establishing what different individuals might best contribute.
d)My natural sense of urgency would help to ensure that we did not fall behind schedule.
e)I believe I would keep cool and maintain my capacity to think straight.
f)I would retain a steadiness of purpose in spite of the pressures.
g)I should be prepared to take a positive lead if I felt the group was making no progress.
h)I would open up discussions with a view to stimulating new thoughts and getting something moving.
- With reference to the problems to which I am subject in working in groups:
a)I am apt to show my impatience with those who are obstructing progress.
b) Others may criticise me for being too analytical and insufficiently intuitive.
c)My desire to ensure that work is properly done can hold up proceedings.
d)I tend to get bored rather easily and rely on one or two stimulating members to spark me off.
e)I find it difficult to get started unless the goals are clear.
f)I am sometimes poor at explaining and clarifying complex points that occur to me.
g)I am conscious of demanding from others the things I cannot do myself.
h)I hesitate to get my points across when I run up against real opposition.
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SELF-PERCEPTION INVENTORY ANALYSIS SHEET
Question / CW / CH / SH / PL / RI / ME / TW / CF1 / g / d / f / c / a / h / b / e
2 / a / b / e / g / c / d / f / h
3 / h / a / c / d / f / g / e / b
4 / d / h / b / e / g / c / a / f
5 / b / f / d / h / e / a / c / g
6 / f / c / g / a / h / e / b / d
7 / e / g / a / f / d / b / h / c
TOTAL
THE PLANT (PL)
The “Plant” acts as a prime source of ideas and innovation for the team.
She/he should concentrate her /his attention on basic strategies and major issues, including formulating new ideas relevant to the team's objectives.
The “Plant” is also valuable in looking for possible breaks in approach to the problems with which the group has been confronted for some time. However, she/he should take care in timing her/his contributions: presenting her/his proposals at appropriate moments to assist their positive reception.
If the “Plant” is also a manager, she/he must exercise considerable self-discipline in listening to her/his teams comments on her/his proposals (particularly those with monitoring/evaluating skills). She/he must also take care that the stresses of management does not stifle her/his creative input.
In less senior roles, the Plant should be used as a resource: she/he should establish her /himself as the person her /his team turns to for ideas, solutions, and fresh viewpoints.
The “Plant” should take care to use her/his creativity in the interests of the team, rather than on personal issues. She/he must be prepared for criticism, and having ideas rejected, but she/he should not become inhibited about putting her/his ideas forward, especially in a dominant or over critical group.
THE CHAIR (CH)
The "Chair" controls and organises the activities of her/his team, making best use of the resources available.
The "Chair" is good at encouraging people to give of their best, by helping them identify their role and contribution, and providing positive feedback on their performance. She/he is usually adept at smoothing over disagreements, using a blend of tact and firm control.
She/he coordinates the use of resources from both within and outside the team, and keeps peoples' efforts orientated towards the team's goal. She/he is good at identifying weaknesses in the team's make up, and if necessary, expanding her/his own role to cover these weaknesses. She/he also delegates.
When the going gets tough, the "Chair" can exercise personal self discipline as acting as a focal point for group effort.
If the "Chair" is also a manager, then she/he is in a position to employ her/his talents overtly. In more junior positions, she/he should support team structure and co- ordination, without threatening the appointed leader.
The "Chair" has to avoid rigidity and obstinacy posing as grit and determination. She/he may also experience difficulty in recognising superior ability in other team members. She/he should also be careful not to abdicate from the leadership role in the face of powerful competition.
COMPANY WORKER (CW)
The "Company Worker" translates the team's plans into a practical working brief, and carries out that brief in a systematic fashion.
The "Company Worker" is good at maintaining a steady systematic approach whatever the pressures (or lack of them) that exists. She/he perseveres in the face of difficulty and strives to meet targets. She/he ensures that the team's tasks have been structured and the objectives clearly outlined.
The "Company Worker" is also good at providing practical support and back up to other team embers.
If a manager, the “Company Worker's” strengths lie in her/his concern for clarifying objectives in practical terms, and maintaining structure in a team.
The “Company Worker" may lack flexibility; she/he must strike a balance between perseverance and adaptability. She/he is a pragmatist, and may find her/himself unconstructively criticising other team members’ ideas. She/he must also ensure that her/his strong sense of personal identity does not lead her/him into competing with other team members.
MONITOR EVALUATOR (ME)
The "Monitor Evaluator" analyses ideas and suggestions from within and outside the team, and evaluates their feasibility and practical value against her/his teams objectives.
The "Monitor Evaluator" has a high level of critical thinking ability which she/he must use constructively in her/his teams interest. She/He can achieve a valuable blend of experimentation and critical appraisal. She/he can build on others suggestions and help develop their ideas to a relevant and practical fruition.
The "Monitor Evaluator" should be able to make firm but tactful cases against unsound approaches, and choose the appropriate moment for airing these concerns with the teams. The "Monitor Evaluator" should take care to develop a close working relationship with the team's "Plant", if there is one.
A successful "Monitor Evaluator" combines high critical thinking with qualities of fair- mindedness, practicality, and receptivity to change. The role is often combined with another team role. If the “Monitor Evaluator" is also the team leader, she/he must take care that she/he does not dominate the other members of the team and stifle their contribution.
If the "Monitor Evaluator" is a junior officer, she/he must develop ways of making her/his points heard and not appearing a threat. She/he must avoid becoming unduly sceptical and cynical.
She/he must also ensure that her/his critical thinking ability is not used to her/his own advantage rather than that of her/his team. She/he must also take care that she/he does not destructively put other people’s ideas down. In such a case she/he might lower her/his team's morale by being too critical or damning. She/he must also ensure that her/his critical powers do not outweigh her/his receptivity.
TEAM WORKER (TW)
The "Team Worker" helps individual members achieve and maintain team effectiveness. The "Team Worker" is good at observing the strengths and weaknesses of team members and in supporting them in their strengths (e.g. building on suggestions). She/he is good at underpinning their shortcomings by personal assistance.
The "Team Worker" is concerned to improve communications between team members, and to foster a sense of team spirit by setting an example in team member behaviour.
If a manager, the "Team Worker" should concentrate on developing others and delegating. At a junior level, she/he should act as “a behind the scenes” helper.
The "Team Worker" should avoid competing for status or dominance in the group, or siding with one member against another. She/he should also take care not to be too ostentatious in the exercise of her/his team member function.
COMPLETER FINISHER (CF)
The "Completer" ensures that all the teams’ efforts are as near perfect as possible and that nothing is overlooked.
The "Completer" keeps an eye open for mistakes of all kinds, and especially those that may fall between the responsibilities of two team members.
She/he is good at choosing areas of work in which finishing qualities are important, and at looking for mistakes in detail that may spoil the finished product. The "Completer" actively searches for aspects of the work which need a more than usual degree of attention.
The "Completer" constantly endeavours to raise the standard of all the teams’ activities by vigilance and-help as required, and maintains a sense of urgency within the team.
If the "Completer" is also a manager, she/he should be careful to keep her/his interference with subordinates to a minimum, and to pay careful attention to delegation.
At a more junior level, she/he must employ tact and discretion, and avoid earning a reputation for "not seeing the wood for the trees". She/he may well have a nervous drive that must be controlled and directed if it is to have positive results.
As a team member, the "Completer" has qualities of conscientiousness and perseverance. which will insure that projects are completed to standard and to schedule. Usually, her/his sense ofduty prevents personal status from interfering with her/his work towards achieving objectives. The "Completer" must be careful not to place undue emphasis on detail, at the expense of the overall plan and direction. There is a chance that she/he can affect team morale by excessive worrying or destructive criticism.
RESOURCE INVESTIGATOR (RI)
The "Resource Investigator" explores outside resources and develops contacts of use to her/his team.
The "Resource Investigator" has an ability to get on with people quickly and easily and extend the range of the teams contacts. She/he has an interest in new ideas and methods which leads her/him to explore possibilities outside her/his immediate working environment.
She/he may also expand the role of the team’s point of contact with outside bodies by keeping up to date on all developments that may be relevant to the team.
She/he may also maintain good relationships within the team, and encourage fellow team members to make best use of their talents -especially in times of pressure and crisis.
The "Resource Investigator" should avoid relaxing too much when the pressure of work eases, and allowing her/his sociability to lead her/him into unproductive use of time.
She/he may also get too involved with her/his ideas at the expense of exploring others and may reject ideas or information before submitting them to her/his team for an opinion
SHAPER (SO)
She/he has the role of Task Leader.
The "Shaper" is full of nervous energy. She/he can be impulsive, impatient and easily frustrated.
The "Shaper" can be quick to challenge and quick to respond to challenges.
She/he does not harbour grudges though can be the most prone of the team roles to paranoia.
Her/his principal function is to give shape to the application of the team’s efforts. She/he tries to unite ideas and produce patterns.
She/he exudes self-confidence which can belie self doubts. The "drive" of the "Shaper" has a compulsive quality.
She/he can be intolerant of woolliness and vagueness and this quality can make a team uncomfortable. However, the "Shaper" is the role most likely to make things happen.
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USEFUL PEOPLE TO HAVE IN TEAMS
TYPE / SYMBOL / TYPICAL FEATURES / POSITIVE QUALITIES / ALLOWABLE WEAKNESSESCompany Worker / CW / Conservative, dutiful, predictable. / Organising ability, practical common sense, hard-working, self discipline. / Lack of flexibility, unresponsiveness to proven ideas.
Chair / CH / Calm, self-confident, controlled. / A capacity for treating and welcoming all potential contributors on their merits and without prejudice. A strong sense of objectives. / No more than ordinary in terms of intellect or creative ability.
Shaper / SH / Highly strung, outgoing, dynamic. / Drive and a readiness to challenge inertia, ineffectiveness, complacency or self-deception. / Proneness to provocation, irritation and impatience.
Plant / PL / Individualistic, serious-minded, unorthodox. / Genius, imagination, intellect, knowledge. / Up in the clouds, inclined to disregard practical details or protocol.
Resource Investigator / RI / Extroverted, enthusiastic, curious, communicative. / A capacity for contacting people and exploring anything new. An ability to respond to challenge. / Liable to lose interest once the initial fascination has passed.
Monitor Evaluator / ME / Sober, unemotional, prudent. / Judgement. discretion, hard-headedness. / Lacks inspiration or the ability to motivate others.
Team Worker / TW / Socially orientated, rather mild, sensitive. / An ability to respond to people and to situations, and to promote team spirit. / Indecisiveness at moments of crisis.
Completer Finisher / CF / Painstaking, orderly, conscientious, anxious. / A capacity for follow-through. Perfectionism. / A tendency to worry about small things. A reluctance to “let go”.
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