Why do some teams function harmoniously and achieve top results, while others struggle from the start? When team dynamics are off, the consequences become quickly visible—delays, burnout, and decreased motivation. But the key to success may not lie in expertise alone, but in how people behave and collaborate.
Belbin’s methodology is based on a simple yet powerful idea: what matters is not just what someone knows, but how they contribute to the team. Instead of searching for the “ideal” team member, the focus is on understanding and aligning different roles, because the best team is not the one where everyone is the same, but the one where differences are recognized and leveraged as strengths.
How it all began: Teams under the microscope
During the 1970s, Dr. Meredith Belbin and his research team systematically observed international management teams for nine years to answer one key question: what distinguishes a successful team from an unsuccessful one? Instead of relying solely on observation, they combined daily team behaviors with the results of psychometric tests.
From this process emerged what we now call Belbin team roles—groups of behaviors that clearly show how individuals contribute to team success.
The 9 Belbin Team Roles
- Implementer – process stabilizer and guarantor of execution
Structured, reliable, and operationally oriented, the Implementer is crucial for turning strategy into concrete tasks. Their predictability and consistency make them a backbone during the implementation phase.
Potential challenge: May resist change, especially when quick adjustments are needed. - Plant – source of originality
The Plant brings divergent thinking and proposes ideas that often go beyond conventional boundaries. They contribute significantly in early stages of development when innovative approaches are needed.
Potential challenge: May overlook practical implementation aspects and pay less attention to details. - Monitor Evaluator – the team’s voice of reason
This role is characterized by the ability to make rational, impartial decisions. The Monitor Evaluator helps the team see situations from a strategic distance and avoid impulsive moves.
Potential challenge: May appear emotionally distant and sometimes discouraging in high-risk initiatives. - Co-ordinator – architect of team collaboration
The Co-ordinator recognizes available resources and has the ability to assign responsibilities according to each individual’s strengths.
Potential challenge: Due to a tendency to delegate, may distance themselves from content and overlook operational aspects. - Resource Investigator – extroverted opportunity explorer
Oriented outward, the Resource Investigator identifies opportunities, secures resources, and connects the team with relevant external stakeholders.
Potential challenge: May lose interest after the initial phase. - Completer Finisher – guardian of quality standards
Highly detail-oriented, the Completer Finisher demonstrates responsibility and precision. They tend to identify gaps and ensure quality delivery.
Potential challenge: Perfectionism may lead to unnecessary focus on minor tasks. - Teamworker – emotional stabilizer of the team
Empathetic, considerate, and cooperative, the Teamworker builds interpersonal relationships within the team and is key to fostering a collaborative atmosphere.
Potential challenge: In the desire to maintain harmony, may avoid conflict and delay important decisions. - Shaper – catalyst for action and determination
Challenge-driven and goal-oriented, the Shaper energizes the team and directs it toward achieving high goals. Their direct communication style adds clarity.
Potential challenge: May act impulsively or tactlessly under stress. - Specialist – vertical expert
Brings deep expertise in a specific area and often represents an important source of knowledge in technically complex projects.
Potential challenge: Narrow focus may lead to weaker integration with the broader team or less interest in general goals.
Role balance: the key to a successful team
No role alone is sufficient. Too many of the same role (e.g., multiple Plants or Shapers) can lead to chaos, overlapping responsibilities, or stagnation. Successful teams are characterized by a balance of complementary roles that support each other.
Numerous studies show that teams with clearly defined roles and structured collaboration achieve measurably better results. In environments with structured communication and aligned expectations among team members, engagement levels can increase by up to 30%, with significantly higher quality of team decision-making and coordination.
Preferred, manageable, and least preferred roles
It is important to note that Belbin methodology does not promote rigid categorization of individuals but is based on the idea that everyone possesses all roles to some degree. The key is to recognize which roles are naturally stronger in a person and how to best align them with team needs.
Most people naturally assume two to three roles, representing their preferred roles. There are roles that, although not naturally expressed, a person can successfully adopt when necessary—these are manageable roles. Conversely, some roles do not align with a person’s natural way of working; these are least preferred roles, which should be taken on only in exceptional circumstances.
How are individual team roles determined?
Belbin assessment relies on two key instruments:
- Self-Perception Inventory – a questionnaire completed by the individual, providing insight into their perception of behavior within the team.
- Observer Assessment – a questionnaire completed by colleagues who know the person professionally, offering an additional perspective on their team contribution.
Combining the results of these instruments generates the Belbin Individual Report, which provides a structured overview of a person’s team roles, strengths, potential challenges, and recommendations for further development and effective team collaboration.
Where can Belbin be used?
Belbin is not only for understanding roles within a team—it can be applied throughout an employee’s lifecycle within the organization. Examples include:
- Belbin Job: Selection tool
Belbin Job allows candidate selection based on behavior in a team context, not just experience and expertise. By defining desired team roles for a position and comparing them with the candidate’s Belbin profile, insight is gained into how the individual will fit into the team and organization. - Belbin Teambuilding: Fun and useful
Belbin teambuilding provides an unforgettable team bonding experience through fun and learning. Each team member completes a questionnaire and discovers their role within the team. Understanding team roles helps members find common ground and plan future steps. - Belbin Project Team: The right person in the right place
Belbin Project Team helps create effective and successful project teams. By understanding team roles, the questionnaire enables appropriate positioning of team members and their tasks.
How to build a team that collaborates, not just “works together”?
Belbin teaches us that there is no perfect individual, only the perfect combination of contributions within a team. When team members understand both their own roles and the contributions of others, engagement, trust, and goal achievement improve significantly.
If your teams are going through change, facing internal resistance, declining motivation, or simply not reaching their full potential, it is time for a structured understanding of team dynamics. Contact us if you want to develop a culture where everyone contributes in the way they can best, through understanding, measurement, and strategic development of team roles.
