Using Belbin Team Roles to create inclusive teams.
Updated: May 17, 2021
Belbin Team Roles were introduced to me many years ago by my dear friend and mentor Juanita Wijnands. Finally this year, I decided to become certified by Belbin© in Singapore under the guidance of Dr. Philip Merry.
Philip and I had crossed paths a number of time over the past 10 years. I am grateful for this opportunity to learn from his vast experience working with teams all over the world for the past ... many years.
Belbin© Team Roles help team members gain awareness on Team Role contributions and understand the importance of different working styles. It helps people both at an individual and team level.
Individuals
gain deeper understanding of their own strengths and preferences,
get insights on how they are perceived by their peers
become aware of their blind spots through a 360 assessment.
Teams
map the contribution of each individual team member,
reflect on how best to use the talents and skills within the team to succeed and work in harmony
and acquire a vocabulary to address tensions and differences.
The Cultural Impact Scan© provides a framework to address different cultural approaches while Belbin© provides a practical framework to make the most of different strengths within the team. Both behavioural and cultural diversity celebrate and promote different approaches to problem-solving and help individuals find ways to work better together.
Creating a diverse and inclusive environment is a key factor of success for teams.
Both the CIS© and Belbin© help to keep team members’ biases in check, make them question their assumptions, and welcome divergent approaches leading to more creativity and effectiveness.
Resources:.
- Belbin and Culture Belbin White paper
https://www.belbin.com/media/2192/belbin-white-paper-culture-and-belbin-team-roles.pdf
- Groupthink and the importance of behavioural diversity Belbin White paper
- https://hbr.org/2016/11/why-diverse-teams-are-smarter