evaluation

Qu'est-ce que Belbin Team Roles ?

Model identifying nine complementary team roles (Plant, Coordinator, Monitor Evaluator, etc.) to optimise team composition and collaboration.

Definition

The Belbin Team Roles model, developed by Dr Meredith Belbin following research at Henley Management College, identifies nine complementary roles that contribute to effective team performance: Plant (creative problem-solver), Resource Investigator (networker), Coordinator (organiser of talent), Shaper (driver), Monitor Evaluator (critical analyst), Teamworker (harmony-keeper), Implementer (practical executor), Completer Finisher (quality controller), and Specialist (domain expert). Most people have two or three natural role preferences.

In practice

The Belbin model is used primarily in team building workshops, project team formation, and leadership development. When a team understands its collective role profile, it can consciously compensate for gaps: a team heavy on Plants and Shapers may need more Completer Finishers to actually deliver; a team of Implementers may struggle to generate innovation without Coordinator or Plant energy. Belbin assessments include self-assessment and observer assessment components, making them more robust than purely self-reported tools. In recruitment, Belbin can inform team composition decisions when adding a new hire to an existing team.

Key takeaway

Effective teams need diversity of role — not everyone should be a leader or a creator. Belbin helps make the case for complementary talent over cloning successful individuals.