Effective teaming skills

By Pn Sumathi
Content outline
1) Individual differences and
roles within the team 2) Effective teaming skills
⚫Shaper • Listening
⚫Implementer • Questioning
⚫Completer-finisher • Persuading
⚫Coordinator/chairperson • Respecting
⚫Team worker • Helping
⚫Resource investigator • Sharing
⚫Plant
• Participating
⚫Monitor evaluator
⚫Specialist
 Introduction
⚫Research showed that the most successful teams were
made up of a diverse mix of behaviours.
⚫Dr Meredith Belbin and his team discovered that there are nine
clusters of behaviour - these were called 'Team Roles'
⚫Belbin defined team role as “ A tendency to behave, contribute
and interrelate with others in a particular way ”
⚫Belbin identified nine team roles and he categorized those roles
into three groups: Action Oriented, People Oriented, and
Thought Oriented. Each team role is associated with typical
behavioral and interpersonal strengths.
Cont …Introduction
⚫Each team needs access to each of the nine Team Role behaviours
to become a high performing team.
⚫However, this doesn't mean that every team requires nine people!
Most people will have two or three Team Roles that they are most
comfortable with, and this can change over time. Each Team Role
has its strengths and weaknesses, and each has equal importance.
⚫By using Belbin, individuals have a greater self-understanding of
their strengths, which leads to more effective communication
between colleagues and managers. This can facilitate the progress
of a team.
How did the concept originate?
⚫During a period of nine years, Meredith Belbin and his team of
researchers based at Henley Management College, England, studied the
behaviour of managers from all over the world.
⚫Managers taking part in the study were given psychometric tests and put
into teams of varying composition, while they were engaged in a complex
management exercise.
⚫Their different core personality traits, intellectual styles and behaviours
were assessed during the exercise. As time progressed different clusters of
behaviour were identified as underlying the success of the teams.
⚫The successful clusters were given names
⚫Hence is the emergence of 9 team roles.
Belbin’s nine team
roles
 Plant (PL)
Tends to be highly creative and good at solving problems in
unconventional ways.
Characteristics
⚫Plants are innovators and inventors and can be highly creative.
⚫They provide the seed and ideas from which major developments spring.
Usually they prefer to operate by themselves at some distance from other
members of the team, using their imagination and often working in an
unorthodox way.
⚫They tend to be introverted and react strongly to criticism and praise.
⚫Their ideas may often be radical and may lack practical constraint.
Cont….Plant
Function
⚫ The main uses of a PL are to generate new proposals and to
solve complex problems.
⚫PLs are often needed in the initial stages of a project or when a
project is failing to progress.
⚫ PLs have usually made their mark as founders of companies or
as originators of new products.
⚫Too many PLs in one organization, however, may be
counterproductive as they tend to spend their time reinforcing
their own ideas
Cont…Plant
Strengths
⚫Creative, imaginative, free-thinking, generates ideas and
solves difficult problems.
Weaknesses
⚫Can be over sensitive
⚫May need careful handling by Coordinator or Team Worker
within the team.
⚫Can become isolated and may be difficult once stereotyped
by the team.
 Plant examples
Albert Einstein for example.
 
Was he a creative and unorthodox "Plant" for his visionary and original
approaches to complex problems?

Unorthodox : different from what is generally accepted.

Resource Investigator( RI)
Uses their inquisitive nature to find ideas to bring back to the team. Find
external resources
Characteristics
⚫are often enthusiastic.
⚫They are good at communicating with people both inside and outside the
company. They are natural negotiators and are adapt at exploring new
opportunities and developing contacts.
⚫they are skilled at finding out what is available and what can be done.
⚫They usually receive a warm reception from others because of their warm,
outgoing nature.
⚫RIs have relaxed personalities and a readiness to see the possibilities in
anything new.
 Cont…Resource
Investigator( RI)
Function
⚫RIs are good at exploring and reporting back on ideas, developments, or
resources outside the group.
⚫They are the natural people to set up external contacts and to carry out any
subsequent negotiations.
⚫ They have an ability to think on their feet and to probe others for information.
Cont…Resource Investigator
Strengths
⚫Brings ideas and information back to the team.
⚫Outgoing, enthusiastic.
⚫Gets around, meets people, poses questions, and finds treasure in
unexpected spots. Easily integrated into the team.
⚫Has masses of contacts, and promotes communication.

Weaknesses
⚫ Can become overly optimistic
⚫Can be lazy and complacent unless working under pressure.
Resource Investigator Examples
 Monitor evaluator (ME)
Provides a logical eye, analyse ideas and suggestions both from within and outside
the team and to evaluate their practical value.
ME separate good ideas from bad.

Characteristics
⚫ Monitor Evaluators are serious-minded and care for future
⚫ They are likely to be slow in making decisions preferring to carefully think things
over.
⚫ Usually they have a high critical thinking ability.
⚫ They have a good capacity for sharp judgements that take all factors into account.
⚫ A good ME is unlikely to make reckless mistakes.
⚫ They deal in facts and logic rather than emotion when considering options.
Cont…Monitor evaluator (ME)
Functions
⚫ MEs are best suited to analysing problems and
evaluating ideas and suggestions.
⚫They are very good at weighing up the pro's and
con's of options.
⚫ In a managerial position their ability to make
high quality decisions consistently is likely to
make them highly regarded.
 Cont…Monitor evaluator (ME)
Strengths
⚫Ensures the team doesn’t make mistakes.
⚫Judgement is unaffected by emotion or personality
⚫Good at thinking through complex issues and taking all factors into account in
giving an opinion.
Weaknesses
⚫Can sometimes lack drive and ability to inspire others.
⚫May become isolated if a good relationship with the chair is not established.
⚫ May appear dry, boring, over-critical and pessimistic.

Pessimistic: think negative

ME examples
 Coordinator (CO)
The chairperson/team leader who guides the team to their objectives

Characteristics
⚫The distinguishing feature of Co-ordinators is their propensity for helping
others to work towards shared goals.
⚫ Mature, trusting and confident, they delegate readily, good chairperson
⚫In interpersonal relations they are quick to spot individual talents and to use
them in pursuit of group objectives.
⚫They have a broad outlook and perspective.
Cont…Coordinator (CO)
Function
⚫COs are well placed when put in charge
of a team of people with diverse skills
and personal characteristics.
⚫They perform better in dealing with
colleagues of equal rank than in
directing junior subordinates.
Coordinator ( CO)
Strengths
⚫ Guides team to achieving its objectives.
⚫Ensures the best use is made of each member’s potential.
⚫Good at summing up at team discussion.
⚫Accepts people as they are without suspicion or jealousy.
⚫Never loses grip on a situation.
⚫Able to to pull team together in moment of crisis.
Weaknesses
⚫ Can be seen as manipulative and offload work onto others.
CO examples
 SHAPERS (SH)
Provides the necessary drive to ensure that the
team keeps moving and does not lose focus or
momentum. SH challenges the team to improve

Characteristics
⚫ Shapers are highly goal and oriented people with
great drive and energy.
⚫ They push themselves and others and tend to
overcome obstacles
⚫ Shapers also tend to be competitive and like to win.
⚫ They frequently progress upward in organisations
because they get results and because many people
are impressed by their courageous and decisive
leadership style.
 Cont….SHAPERS (SH)
Function
⚫SHs are generally perceived as ideal managers
because they generate action and thrive under
pressure.
⚫They overcome threats and difficulties or when
progress towards goals and objectives is slow
Cont…SHAPERS (SH)
Strengths
⚫The driving force or engine of the team.
⚫Ideal project leader.
⚫Leads from the front.
⚫Makes things happen.

Weaknesses
⚫can offend people's feelings.
SH examples
IMPLEMENTERS (IMP)

Needed to plan a workable strategy and carry it out as efficiently as possible.

IMP turn ideas into practical action

Characteristics
⚫Disciplined and reliable
⚫They are prepared to work hard to ensure things are done as
prescribed in a systematic way.
⚫They are typically loyal to the organization
Cont…IMPLEMENTERS (IMP)
Function
⚫IMPS are valuable in an organization because of their reliability and capacity
for application.
⚫ They succeed because they are efficient and because they have a sense of
what is relevant.
⚫IMP is more likely to do what needs to be done in a systematic way.
 IMPLEMENTERS (IMP)
Strengths
⚫Turns ideas and plans into manageable projects and defined tasks.
⚫Systematically sets about the tasks that need doing.
⚫ Identifies what works for the team or organization

Weaknesses
⚫Can be inflexible and slow to respond to new possibilities.
⚫Can lack imagination.
⚫ May have difficulty monitoring and inspiring others.
IMPLEMENTERS (IMP)
TEAM WORKERS (TW)
Helps the team to get together, encourage
cooperation
Characteristics
⚫Team Workers are the most supportive
members of a team.
⚫They are mild, sociable and concerned
about others.
⚫ They have a great capacity for
flexibility and adapting to different
situations and people.
TEAM WORKERS (TW)
Function
⚫The role of the TW is to prevent interpersonal
problems arising within a team and thus allows
all team members to contribute effectively.
⚫It is common for TWs to become senior
managers.
⚫TW managers are the most accepted and
favoured people
⚫Morale is better and people seem to cooperate
better when TWs are around.
TEAM WORKERS (TW)
Strengths
⚫Promotes unity and harmony in the team.
⚫Creates and maintains informal network of communication between team
members.
⚫Boosts team spirit by placing team objectives above personal interest.
⚫Good at coping with awkward people.

Weaknesses
⚫Teamworkers dislike conflict – interpersonal conflict especially – and will try
to avoid it.
⚫This can be a valuable attribute, but sometimes heated debate is healthy, and
necessary for the team to move forward.
TEAM WORKERS (TW) examples
 COMPLETER-FINISHERS (CF)
Most effectively used at the end of tasks to polish and
examine the work for errors, subjecting it to the highest
standards of quality control.
CF complete the fine details

Characteristics
⚫ Completer Finishers have a great capacity for the
attention to detail.
⚫ They constantly strive for perfection and correct errors.
⚫ The CF will do work to the highest standard and to
complete it on time.
⚫ The combination of striving for perfection and meeting
deadlines often creates anxiety
⚫ CFs are likely to be reluctant to trust others to do work to
their own high standards.
COMPLETER-FINISHERS (CF)

Function
⚫The Completer Finisher is highly valuable where tasks demand close
concentration and a high degree of accuracy.
⚫The standards they set make them well suited to situations where precision
and high standards are essential.
⚫CFs will also demand the same high standards from people around them and
therefore create culture where the only standard acceptable is perfection.
COMPLETER-FINISHERS (CF)
Strengths
⚫Ensures the team meets its obligations and delivers on time.
⚫ Ensures nothing is overlooked and that the detail is not neglected.

Weaknesses
Can be inclined to worry unduly and are slow to respond to new possibilities.
Needs to avoid over perfectionism.
 SPECIALISTS (SP)
Provides specialists skills

Characteristics
⚫They see learning and the accumulation of knowledge as the main reason for
their existence
⚫ The SP is likely to be recognised by colleagues as an expert to turn to for
help and guidance.
SPECIALISTS (SP)
Function
⚫While SPs may not be regarded as natural team players teams, it will be wise
to engage the SP as a means of providing in depth research.
⚫As managers, they command respect because of their in-depth knowledge
and they can be used to mentor others to raise their technical expertise.
 Cont…SPECIALISTS (SP)
Strengths
⚫Able to prove a reasoned technical answer to
technical problems if qualified in that field.

Weaknesses
⚫ Contributes on a very narrow front and tends
to concentrate on technicalities.
⚫ Doesn’t contribute much to the team outside
the area of specialism.
SPECIALISTS (SP) examples
Summary
Belbin’s Team roles
Conclusion
⚫From the above descriptions it can be seen that each Team Role has its own distinctive
cluster of behavioral characteristics - with potential strengths and allowable
weaknesses.
⚫Problems may arise if there are too many individuals in the team with the same role.
For example, if there are too many leaders (Shaper or coordinator), this will lead to
team comprising leader-managers. These teams are rarely successful as their members
are constantly competing for leadership and they lack the other necessary roles
⚫There are no good or bad Team roles but it is important for each person to know their
own Team Roles and those of their colleagues with whom they interact.
⚫It is only by making use of complementary and collective strengths that individuals
and teams can achieve their full potential - in short, Nobody's perfect, but a team
can be.
 Effective teaming skills
Effective teaming skills involves the following skills

⚫Listening
⚫ Questioning
⚫ Persuading
⚫Respecting
⚫Helping
⚫Sharing
⚫Participating
Effective teaming skills
1) Listening
⚫The team members listen to each other's
ideas, or building off each other's ideas.
⚫ There is a time to talk and a time to listen and
the time to listen comes twice as often as the
time to talk.
⚫We can often find ourselves so concerned
about what we have to say that we never really
hear what the person is saying.
 Cont..Effective teaming skills
2) Questioning
⚫The members question each other.
⚫The members will be interacting,
discussing, and posing questions to all
members of the team.

3) Persuading
⚫The members in the team use persuasion.
⚫The members will be exchanging,
defending and rethinking ideas.

Persuade: meyakinkan
4) Respecting
⚫The members respect the opinion of
others.
⚫The members will be encouraging and
supporting the ideas and efforts of others

5) Helping
⚫The members help each other
⚫They will offer assistance to each other
6) Sharing
⚫The members offer ideas and report findings to each other
⚫They share knowledge, time, skills or physical resources

7)Participating
⚫Every member contribute to the project