7 Responses

1. Empowered Teams
   Victoria,
   I don’t know if I would say it’s the “latest development”, but I find the book Empowered Teams by Wellins, Byham and Wilson still applicable. Thank you!

2. Stormin’ Normin’
   This is hardly a “latest development” either, but the Bruce Tuckman Form-Storm-Norm-Perform model has truly stood the test of time.

   I’ve found that making teams aware that these stages are normal, and possibly even necessary, is at least half the battle.

   There’s a good overview at:
   http://www.catalystonline.com/parts/thinking/tuckmans.html

   µ

3. Team Development
   Integration of real projects into team development both internal and external, as well as team/individual pre/current & post objectives, reviews etc are paramount to obtaing real results. Building on the previous comments, the use of competencies integrated into the programme and 360 degree reviews – pre/current and post any training/development programmes.
   One of my colleagues has recently completed a Masters on the subject.
   Please feel free to email me for further info.

4. Belbin Team Roles and Development
   Hi Victoria,

   Again, not new but there has been and continues to be significant research by Belbin Associates on team development.

   The research of Dr Meredith Belbin in the late seventies lead to the identification and development of a number of Team Roles – behaviours that individuals adopt when participating in a team.

   During extensive research at Henley Management College it was demonstrated that teams comprising of a balanced mix of team roles outperformed those that were randomly put together as so often is the case.

   Follow on reseach demonstrated that teams consistently outperform individuals when dealing with high-risk complex issues where a wide range of suitably compatable complementary behaviours are needed.

   The Belbin Team Role model is used by many top UK companies, the United Nations and many other organisations throughout the world.

   For additional information, visit their site at http://www.belbin.com.

   Good luck with the research.

   Steve Cush

   Ardent Evolution
   http://www.ardentevolution.co.uk

5. Isn’t it time for Belbin v2?
   I go along with Steve’s endorsement of Belbin as a *conceptual* model, but I’ve seen several situations where it’s been a disaster in practice. Why? Because people hate the labels.

   “Specialist” is reasonably neutral. All the others tend either to inflame those on whom they’re bestowed (“Oo you callin’ a Plant?”) or to demean those on whom they’re not (“How come you’re an Implementer and I’m only a Teamworker?”).

   In a world where people are more and more sensitive to labels (as a ‘person of nationality’ reminded me only the other day), surely it’s time for a Belbin version 2?

   µ

6. What really makes a team
   Hi Victoria – I ahve recently spent 18 months supporting a team development programme in a major pharmaceutical manufacturing site in Southern England. Essentially models are useful for the developers but are of little more than academic interest to the developing. It is useful to explain the process but most important is not t o try to control the process but to support individuals and teams through the developemnt process ensuring they are increasingly aware of the control they have. I’d be glad to help more and put you in touch with others who have helped me and who I have helped through this process.

7. New Belbin!
   Dear Victoria,
   I agree with one of the previous comments about Belbin team-roles and being put into a ‘box’. This is the main reason why Belbin Associates developed the software Interplace, which is now in its 6th edition. This gives people a ‘fingerprint’ of their team-role preferences, counselling, character profiles, and the chance to add how others perceive their contribution to the team. If you, or any others are interested in these developments, please do get in touch. Just as an aside, please be aware that the self scoring version of the Belbin SPI is in fact copyright, and that it shouldn’t be reproduced in any form.