Teambuilding

So what is a team and how does it operate? If you are going to be a successful manager you have to know the answers to these questions.

A team is not just a collection of people. It is an organization with its own dynamics, qualities and conventions. Without knowing these things you will flounder. Knowing them, you can work your team to achieve greatness.

In every team there are a variety of people all pushing and showing in different directions and with unequal force. Some shove louder. Others are happy to push from the back. Others don’t appear to be doing anything, but you’ll need them for ideas.

If you haven’t looked at team dynamics before, you should pay your attention to Dr. Meredith Belbin’s[1] theory of team roles. Belbin Team Roles are used to identify people's behavioral strengths and weaknesses in the workplace. This information can be used to build productive working relationships, select and develop high-performing teams, raise self-awareness and personal effectiveness, build mutual trust and understanding and aid recruitment processes.

Belbin says that there are nine team roles – and we all carry out one or more functions of these team roles. Yes, it is fun to identify our own, but it is much more useful to identify your team’s and then work with that information.

1. The first Team Role to be identified was the Plant. The role was so-called because one such individual was “planted” in each team. They tended to be highly creative and good at solving problems in unconventional ways.

2. One by one, the other Team Roles began to emerge. The Monitor Evaluator was needed to provide a logical eye, make impartial judgments where required and to weigh up the team’s option in a dispassionate way.

3. Co-ordinators were needed to focus on the team’s objectives, draw out team members and delegate work appropriately.

4. When the team was at risk of becoming isolated and inwardly-focused, Resource Investigators provided inside knowledge on the opposition and made sure that the team’s idea would carry to the world outside the team.

5. Implementers were needed to plan a practical, workable strategy and carry it out as efficiently as possible.

6. Completer Finishers were most effectively used at the end of a task, to “polish” and scrutinize the work for errors, subjecting it to the highest standards of quality control.

7. Team-workers helped the team to gel, using their versatility to identify the work required and complete it on behalf of the team.

8. Challenging individuals, known as Shapers, provided the necessary drive to ensure that the team kept moving and did not lose focus or momentum.

9. It was only after the initial research had been completed that the ninth Team Role, Specialist emerged. In the real world, the value of an individual with in-depth knowledge of a key area came to be recognized as yet another essential team contribution.

During his research, Meredith found that each of the behaviors were essential in getting the team successfully from start to finish. The key was balance. For example, Meredith Belbin found that a team with no Plants struggled to come up with the initial spark of an idea with which to push forward. However, once too many Plants were in the team, bad ideas concealed good ones and non-starters were given too much airtime. Similarly, with no Shaper, the team ambled along without drive and direction, missing deadlines. With too many Shapers, in-fighting began and morale was lowered.

Belbin Team Roles are used to identify peoples behavioral strengths and weaknesses in the workplace. This means that wherever people are involved within an organization, Belbin can provide the language to ensure that individuals and teams communicate and work together with greater understanding.

Belbin Team Roles can be used in:

1) Conflict management

Conflict usually arises from misunderstanding or lack of communication.

Conflict can manifest itself in many ways. Lowered morale, reduced productivity and increases in absenteeism can all be strong indicators that something needs to be addressed.

Interpersonal conflict: Belbin Team Roles can provide the language to aid discussion, and to ensure that comments are made on how the individual behaves in the workplace, and the effects this has on others. Too often discussions include personal attacks which make the conflict more acute - the language of Team Roles helps to minimize it.

By comparing individuals Belbin Reports areas of potential conflict and misunderstanding can be highlighted, and by using the language of Belbin Team Roles, common ground can be established and a successful working relationship identified.

Cross-team conflict: Sometimes teams become too inward focused and forget their role within the larger picture. Teams can start to compete with other teams, or start dismissing other teams’ suggestions and outputs. This can lead not only to cross-team conflict, but to reduced productivity within organizations.

2) Change management

Rarely can change management programs commence by wiping the slate clean. Belbin Team Roles helps teams to adapt to changing goals by highlighting collective strengths and minimizing weaknesses. This enables the team to be more cohesive yet adaptable in a changing environment. The Team Reports, which are a compilation of each team-member’s behavioral preferences, are an excellent starting-point for this.

3) Recruitment

Belbin reports, team games and exercises are frequently used for recruitment purposes, whether to assess candidates from outside the organisation, compare candidates for promotion or to scrutinize a shortlist for a graduate scheme. The Belbin Self-Perception Inventory establishes the behavioral preferences of an individual.

How does the candidate fit with the team?

Someone may have the Team Role attributes you are looking for, but how will he or she fit in with the existing team? Whilst you can't account for personal differences or "personality clashes", you can use a Belbin Team to help assess whether an individual will be providing a much-needed contribution or whether their Team Role preferences could cause conflict with other team members .For example, if you have a predominance of Completer Finishers in your team, adding another one might cause conflict over work "territory". On the other hand, adding a Co-ordinator to the team might ensure that delegation was managed appropriately.

How does the candidate fit with the job?

Even if the candidate fits well in the team, staff turnover can only be reduced by matching people to jobs. The Belbin Job Report allows you to specify the attributes you require in a particular job. This can be used within HR for recruitment and discussion or presented to the candidate at interview.

If the candidate has completed a Belbin Self-Perception Inventory, this can be matched with the job report to determine compatibility for a job.

4) Coaching

Belbin isn't just for teams. It can also help individuals on their professional career path.

By using the Job Requirements Questionnaire, jobs can be defined by the Belbin Team Role behaviors that are required. Using the Job report alongside an individual’s Belbin report - preferably with observers - advice can be given and discussions started about whether the desired career path is both wise and 'doable'. Alternatives can be discussed and training gap analysis taken.

Why is this useful?

Time and time again we hear of professionals reaching their 'desired role' only to find them suffering from stress shortly after. The Job role they have been striving and working towards had a title and level of responsibility that the individual wanted, but the actual role itself required particular behavior that didn't fit with the individuals preferred Belbin Team Roles.

5) Leadership development

Rob Goffee, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School, sums it up so succinctly: "Leaders who can be trusted are self-aware and know what differentiates them from their colleagues. They are not afraid to reveal their weaknesses and know how to adapt their style to different situations".

Belbin Team Roles help to identify strengths and weaknesses, so helping individuals make the most positive impact by adapting to the current working environment relationship.

Date: 2015-01-12; view: 675