The Belbin Model, also known as Belbin Team Roles, is a framework for understanding the roles individuals naturally adopt in a team setting.
- Developed in the 1970s, this model identifies nine distinct roles that people can take on in a team.
- Each role has its own strengths and allowable weaknesses, and effective teams are often characterized by a balanced mix of these roles.
- The nine roles are divided into three categories: Action-Oriented, People-Oriented, and Thought-Oriented roles.
Application of the Belbin Model
- Team Composition (Helps in forming balanced teams by identifying the roles each member can play effectively).
- Personal Development (Individuals can understand their own strengths and weaknesses and develop their team role contributions).
- Conflict Resolution (By understanding different roles, teams can better navigate conflicts and leverage individual strengths).
See our case studies below to better understand its applications.
Case Study 1: You are managing a web development project to be completed in the next 3 months. The project has hard deadlines and a well-defined budget. The users are not very cooperative. You need to choose 4 staff in the team: a team leader, 2 web developers and a software tester. This is how the Belbin model can help.
Team Leader
- A Coordinator is ideal for the team leader role because they are mature, confident, and adept at delegating responsibilities and clarifying team goals. They can promote decision-making and recognize the strengths of individual team members. This is especially useful when managing a project with hard deadlines and a defined budget. But the Coordinator can also be seen as manipulative, and may delegate personal work to others.
- Alternatively, a Shaper would be beneficial if the project needs someone dynamic and driven to overcome obstacles and ensure the team meets its targets. They thrive under pressure and can push the team to achieve its goals, which is crucial in a project with strict deadlines. But the Shaper is prone to provocation, can offend people’s feelings.
Web Developers
- For one of the web developer roles, choosing a Plant can be advantageous. Plants are creative and can think outside the box, which is valuable in web development where innovative solutions are often required. They can provide unique approaches to coding challenges and design problems. But he or she can be preoccupied, and may ignore practical details.
- The second web developer could be an Implementer. Implementers are practical, reliable, and efficient. They are excellent at turning ideas into actionable code and ensuring that work is completed systematically. Their disciplined approach will help in sticking to the project’s timeline and budget. But they can be inflexible, slow to respond to new possibilities.
Software Tester
- A Completer Finisher is ideal for the software tester role. They are detail-oriented and ensure that the project deliverables are thoroughly checked and meet high standards. Their meticulous nature will help identify and fix bugs, ensuring the web application is robust and reliable before deployment. But the Completer Finisher can be inclined to worry or reluctant to delegate.
Application of the Belbin Model
By selecting team members based on their natural strengths and roles, you can create a balanced team where each member complements the others. This helps in covering various aspects of the project effectively.
Understanding each team member’s role can improve communication and collaboration. Team members will be aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses, leading to better synergy and fewer conflicts.
Allocating roles based on the Belbin Model ensures that resources (time, skills, and budget) are used efficiently. For instance, the Shaper can drive the project forward, while the Completer Finisher ensures quality control without overstepping budget constraints.
Case Study 2: The best characteristics of an IT Project Manager
Based on the Belbin Model, an IT project manager should ideally exhibit characteristics from several key Belbin roles to effectively lead and manage.
Coordinator (CO)
- Leadership, that is to be confident, mature, and good at identifying the strengths of team members and delegating tasks appropriately.
- Coordinators are adept at promoting decision-making and ensuring that the team works towards common goals. This helps in maintaining focus and achieving project objectives efficiently.
Shaper (SH)
- Shapers are dynamic, thrive on pressure, and are driven to overcome obstacles. These traits are essential for an IT project manager who must keep the team motivated and push through challenges to meet project deadlines.
- The ability to handle stress and maintain determination is important for managing complex IT projects, where setbacks and unexpected issues are common.
Implementer (IMP)
- Implementers are practical, reliable, and efficient, which are important traits for ensuring that project plans are executed effectively. An IT project manager needs to be able to turn ideas into actionable plans and ensure they are carried out systematically.
- Strong organizational skills help in planning, scheduling, and resource management, which are key aspects of project management.
Monitor Evaluator (ME)
- Critical Thinking and Objectivity – to be sober, strategic, and discerning, providing a logical eye and impartial judgments. These skills help an IT project manager make informed decisions based on careful analysis and evaluation of different options.
- The ability to weigh up options and develop strategic plans ensures that the project stays on track and aligns with business goals.
Completer Finisher (CF)
- Attention to Detail : ensure that tasks are completed to the highest standards. This is crucial for an IT project manager to ensure quality control and that all aspects of the project are thoroughly checked.
- The ability to manage time effectively and ensure timely completion of tasks is essential for meeting project deadlines.
People Skills
- A successful IT project manager needs strong interpersonal skills to manage and motivate the team, resolve conflicts, and foster a collaborative work environment.
- Effective communication skills are essential for conveying project goals, expectations, and feedback to team members and stakeholders.
Adaptability and Flexibility
- The ability to adapt to changing circumstances and respond to unforeseen challenges is crucial in the dynamic field of IT project management.
- Being flexible in approach and open to new ideas helps in finding innovative solutions to problems.
Summary
An ideal IT project manager, according to the Belbin Model, would exhibit a blend of characteristics from the Coordinator, Shaper, Implementer, Monitor Evaluator, and Completer Finisher roles. They should be able to lead and delegate effectively, drive the team towards goals, plan and execute systematically, think critically and strategically, ensure high-quality standards, manage time efficiently, and possess strong people skills and adaptability. This combination of traits will enable them to manage IT projects successfully, ensuring that they are completed on time, within budget, and to the desired quality standards.
Jointly presented by Active Learning & INFOCLUB Ltd, July 2024
