As a leader, you know the importance of having a team of people who are dedicated and provide the very best work they can, whether that be with teammates or delivering an assignment. The best employees are committed to helping others reach their goals whilst improving themselves as individuals. Being in an environment where everybody has good relationships and feels included, increases productivity, happiness, and overall well-being in the workplace.
But how do you create this type of environment?
One way is by being intentional about creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong – making sure you hire the right people is key to creating a good team, that can thrive, improving their self-development as well as your business.
Before we dive in, this is what we will be discussing:
Why is having a good team important and how will it benefit your business?
Who is Dr Meredith Belbin and what did he discover?
The 9 behavioural attributes that contribute to a great team.
What makes a good team?
Every great team has a purpose that energises and orients its members. Without goals, a team can't be inspired to work toward a common objective. A good goal should be challenging but not impossible to achieve - this allows the team to be positive about their work and to be motivated to push themselves further. Without a clear sense of direction, people find it difficult to get inspired and excited about their work.
The Importance of Teamwork
1. Efficiency is when your team members can work together in a way that creates the best possible outcome for your company. A good team creates efficiency by working together in a coordinated manner. Teamwork allows a big task to be split into several little tasks that can be taken on by each team member with a different skill set, getting the task done faster - which moves me into the next point...
2. Teamwork offers various skill sets, fresh perspectives, education and knowledge - a team approach can lead to faster, deeper innovation, using different perspectives and knowledge.
3. Teammates learn from each other - using each other's strengths, reflecting on and improving people's weaknesses will help the team grow together and therefore improving the company.
4. Diversity and inclusion - similarly, to point two, a team of various skill sets, backgrounds and education etc, bring new, fresh perspectives to the company, while also educating other members of the team and creating cultural sensitivity within the workplace.
Who is Dr Meredith Belbin?
Born on 4th June 1926, Dr Raymond Meredith Belbin is a British researcher and management consultant, known for his work and theory on management teams and wrote a book on his findings called “Management Teams: Why They Succeed or Fail”.
Dr Meredith Belbin’s theory
Belbin’s theory suggests that the most successful teams are made up of a diverse mix of behaviours. Belbin defines a ‘team role’ as one of nine clusters of behavioural attributes which are thought to build high performing and successful teams. “A team is not a bunch of people with job titles, but a congregation of individuals, each of whom has a role that is understood by other members”.
“What is needed is not well balanced individuals, but individuals who balance well with each other”. - Dr Meredith Belbin.
Each team role that Belbin has identified, has a unique set of strengths and is there to serve a specific purpose for the team to succeed. His idea is that each of the roles complement each other, as they bring different skill sets and fresh perspectives to the table.
Whilst not everyone will fit into one of the roles exactly, it’s good to have an idea of what these roles can bring and to bring somebody into the team with similar attributes. This knowledge will allow you as a manager, to better manage and communicate with your team to get the very best out of them.
What are the 9 Belbin Team Roles?
Shaper – The Shaper is an action-oriented person who drives everyone forward and motivates their team members, to keep the momentum going to complete tasks and deadlines in time. The shaper loves a good challenge, enjoys discovering ways to overcome obstacles and challenging tasks, and thrives off pressure. The shaper is said to have a positive mindset which is reflected onto their colleagues. The shaper is outgoing and extroverted, so they are prone to conflict with others who disagree with their ideas or work.
Implementer – The Implementer is the team member who puts concrete plans in place to get stuff done. They tend to dominate tasks and work through them systematically. They also tend to take over the practical side of things to ensure that everyone has a set plan in place to follow. The implementer is very efficient in their work, organised, practical and reliable. However, they can become stressed when plans are changed.
Complete-Finisher – The Complete Finisher is strategic in their thinking and meticulous. They can be thought to have high standards which are expected to be met by their team members. They often take aspects from the two team roles above and focus on helping the project reach its end goal. The Complete Finisher is focused on the detail and go above and beyond in their work. However, these types of people are often very worried and anxious and are reluctant to take charge in a situation.
Coordinator – The Coordinator is very people-orientated and thrive off managing a team of people. They like to delegate tasks rather than focusing on specific tasks that need to get done. Ultimately, they are natural team leaders and have excellent people skills. They are great at identifying people's needs and understanding when people need additional help. However, due to managing so many people, they are often left with little work to do themselves, which is resented by other team members.
Team Worker – The Team Worker is exactly their name – they work well in a team. They ensure that all members of the team, work well together and speak up for people who are less confident. They are focused on maintaining a positive working environment and make sure everyone is represented and listened to. Team Workers are seen to be peacemakers, but because of their kind nature, they can be stuck in the middle of disagreements, whereas they tend to avoid confrontation.
Resource Investigator – The Resource Investigator is the most analytical – they look at situations from various angles and look at all options before making a decision. They are very outgoing and enthusiastic in what they do which brings a positive feel to the work environment. However, they do lose interest in projects they're not so passionate about.
Plant – The Plant is the most creative, they come up with new ideas and inspiration for the team and use their creativity to solve problems. They help the team to grow with their free thinking and innovative ideas. However, they tend to be unorganised and prefer to work on their own.
Specialist – The Specialist is highly talented and can take the project to the next level. They are particularly focused and professional. The downside to the Specialist is that they don’t tend to be a permanent member of the team.
Monitor Evaluator – The Monitor Evaluator is the most strategic of the team who sees all options and judges accurately before making the right decision. They are seen as a reserved individual who likes to work on their own. They lack motivation and the ability to inspire others which is the downside to a Monitor Evaluator.
Being in an environment where everyone feels included and valued is so important for not only the team, but the growth of your business.
Find out what you bring to a team - https://www.belbin.com/about/belbin-reports/belbin-team-reports
Read more blogs from us: https://www.nufuture.co.uk/cm/blogs
Connect with nufuture today to find out how we can help you.
Bracknell phone: 01344 289224
Manchester phone: 0161 791 0237
Email info@nufuture.co.uk