5.7.10

The Nine Roles for Management Teams

British administrative researcher and management theorist Meredith Belbin described nine archetypes for the roles played by members of project teams. Belbin's 1981 book, Management Teams, describes this model in depth, and later publications revised it.
A good management team generally contains at least one person for each role; however, there are particular tasks for which other combinations work better.  Incidentally, Belbin denies that these roles can be cross referenced directly to Jungian or enneagram personality types.
  • Plant: A creative, imaginative, unorthodox team-member who solves difficult problems. They sometimes situate themselves far from the other team members, and return to present their 'brilliant' idea.
  • Resource Investigator: The networker. Whatever the team needs, the Resource Investigator is likely to have someone in their address book who can either provide it or know someone else who can provide it.
  • Chairman or Co-ordinator: Ensures that all members of the team are able to contribute to discussions and decisions of the team. Their concern is for fairness and equity among team members.
  • Shaper: Loves a challenge and thrives on pressure. This member possesses the drive and courage required to overcome obstacles.
  • Monitor-Evaluator: A sober, strategic and discerning member, who tries to see all options and judge accurately. Contributes a measured and dispassionate analysis and, through objectivity, stops the team committing itself to a misguided task.
  • Team Worker: Ensures that interpersonal relationships within the team are maintained. Sensitive to atmospheres and may be the first to approach another team member who feels slighted, excluded or otherwise attacked but has not expressed their discomfort.
  • Company Worker or Implementer: A practical thinker who can create systems and processes that will produce what the team wants.
  • Completer Finisher: The detail person, possessing a good eye for spotting flaws and gaps and for knowing exactly where the team is in relation to its schedule.
  • Specialist: In 1988, Belbin appended a ninth team role, the "Specialist", a person who brings 'specialist' knowledge to the team.