several iterations, they found that they could not predict which team would successful based on the roles but they could predict which teams would fail in the exercises. Teams failed because certain roles were not being fulfilled by team members. One of the roles needed was a role they originally called the This article is about building successful project teams and focuses on the work done Meredith Belbin and John Hartson in the 1970s at Henley. This has now become a branded method. Please note I have no connection with the Belbin Associates nor am I undertaking any MLM activities on their behalf. I include this reference as background for the interested reader.

The insights gained from the Belbin approach have implications on the discussions about leadership and management. I will first give a short background of how the research arose and a brief outline of what I would consider key findings, and then I will draw out the implications of these in the debate about Leadership and Management.

Belbin and his research team were interested in the question, “Can we predict which teams would be successful by looking at the roles played by team members?” As part of the Henley Executive programme, teams were judged on their performance in a management game; basically it was a project with an end goal that required team working. Using statistical analysis of responses to a self-assessment questionnaire, they identified some dozen or so team roles and looked at whether these would predict success in the game.

Over several iterations, they found that they could not predict which team would successful based on the roles but they could predict which teams would fail in the exercises. Teams failed because certain roles were not being fulfilled by team members. One of the roles needed was a role they originally called the P

is reference as background for the interested reader.

The insights gained from the Belbin approach have implications on the discussions about leadership and management. I will first give a short background of how the research arose and a brief outline of what I would consider key findings, and then I will draw out the implications of these in the debate about Leadership and Management.

Belbin and his research team were interested in the question, “Can we predict which teams would be successful by looking at the roles played by team members?” As part of the Henley Executive programme, teams were judged on their performance in a management game; basically it was a project with an end goal that required team working. Using statistical analysis of responses to a self-assessment questionnaire, they identified some dozen or so team roles and looked at whether these would predict success in the game.

Over several iterations, they found that they could not predict which team would successful based on the roles but they could predict which teams would fail in the exercises. Teams failed because certain roles were not being fulfilled by team members. One of the roles needed was a role they originally called the

ll draw out the implications of these in the debate about Leadership and Management.

Belbin and his research team were interested in the question, “Can we predict which teams would be successful by looking at the roles played by team members?” As part of the Henley Executive programme, teams were judged on their performance in a management game; basically it was a project with an end goal that required team working. Using statistical analysis of responses to a self-assessment questionnaire, they identified some dozen or so team roles and looked at whether these would predict success in the game.

Over several iterations, they found that they could not predict which team would successful based on the roles but they could predict which teams would fail in the exercises. Teams failed because certain roles were not being fulfilled by team members. One of the roles needed was a role they originally called the

on their performance in a management game; basically it was a project with an end goal that required team working. Using statistical analysis of responses to a self-assessment questionnaire, they identified some dozen or so team roles and looked at whether these would predict success in the game.

Over several iterations, they found that they could not predict which team would successful based on the roles but they could predict which teams would fail in the exercises. Teams failed because certain roles were not being fulfilled by team members. One of the roles needed was a role they originally called the

several iterations, they found that they could not predict which team would successful based on the roles but they could predict which teams would fail in the exercises. Teams failed because certain roles were not being fulfilled by team members. One of the roles needed was a role they originally called the Plant. They chose the name Plant because the experimenters ‘planted’ people with this role preferences in potentially failing teams. The Plant was a creative thinker who was interested in ideas and who would generate possible solutions to be evaluated by another predominantly thinking role, the Monitor Evaluator. They also identified roles such a Chairman (Co-ordinator), Shaper, Resource Investigators, Team Worker etc. I believe the role names have changed and additional roles have been identified from the original formulation.

The self assessment questionnaire classified what roles an individual would naturally prefer in a team context. Most people have a main role and one or two subsidiary roles that they could fulfil and these are identified using the Belbin Inventory questionnaire. Some people (very rare) have no pronounced preference for a particular role but could play several dependent on the mix of team. However, I have never come across anyone who could comfortably play all the team roles identified. The assertion is that people would adopt their predominant role in a project team. If there is someone in the team fulfilling your primary role, you might switch to your secondary role but it is almost impossi