Welcome to Barrie’s
workshop on
Managing Difficult
Team Role Chemistry
Slides by Barrie Watson - Belbin Associates
Step 1 – Explain the difference
between comfort and effectiveness
We are more comfortable
with people with whom we
are compatible
We are more effective
with people with whom we
are incompatible
+
RI
RI
+
SH
Slides by Barrie Watson - Belbin Associates
ME
Step 2 - Use e-interplace to
identify difficult chemistry
Slides by Barrie Watson - Belbin Associates
Step 3 – Use the Team Role
Alignment exercise to..
 Raise awareness of how to manage
difficult Team Role chemistry
 Embed the principles of building
productive working relationships
 Lay the foundations for using the
techniques in the workplace
Slides by Barrie Watson - Belbin Associates
Aligning with different Team Roles
Team Role
Plant
Name/s
Helpful things to do
Things to avoid
Encourage them to
explain their thoughts and
be tolerant of their
unorthodox approach
Restrictive frameworks and
being critical of suggestions
that are not seen as relevant
Allow them to talk and
enthuse and make use
of their natural desire
to communicate
Asking for too much detail
or expecting them to do
in-depth research
Approach them to ensure
your contributions are taken
forward and use them to
bring
the Watson
best out
of others
© Barrie
2006
Undermining them by
doing private deals, using
hidden agendas or pursuing
personal conflicts
Resource Investigator
Co-ordinator
Slides by Barrie Watson - Belbin Associates
Aligning with different Team Roles
Things to avoid
Team Role
Helpful things to do
Shaper
Use a factual and
goal-oriented approach
and be tolerant of their sense
of urgency
Making personal attacks and
appeals and being ambiguous
or getting off the subject
Monitor Evaluator
Use them to counter hasty
and reckless decision making
and allow them to express
their concerns
Being over-optimistic and
pressuring them to make quick
decisions by using collective
enthusiasm
Make use of their supportive
qualities and help ensure
personal feelings and
sensitivities
are not2006
overlooked
© Barrie Watson
Taking them for granted and
assuming they agree to
everything and force them
to make big solo decisions
Teamworker
Slides by Barrie Watson - Belbin Associates
Aligning with different Team Roles
Team Role
Implementer
Helpful things to do
Give them responsibility for
organising things and explain
new approaches in a
process orientated way
Completer Finisher
Make it clear what the
priorities are and stick to
deadlines and allow them time
to do things thoroughly
Specialist
Value their contribution as a
source of detailed information
and involve them in
research
©undertaking
Barrie Watson
2006
Things to avoid
Using them as a sounding board
for floating wild ideas
and neglecting to provide
sufficient information
Overloading them or setting
unrealistic deadlines and
belittling their tendency to
worry about getting it right
Isolating them and over
involving them in wide ranging
unstructured discussions
Slides by Barrie Watson - Belbin Associates
Step 4 – Applying the techniques in
the workplace
Team Role
Plant
Meredith
Helpful things to do
Things to avoid
Encourage them to
explain their thoughts and
be tolerant of their
unorthodox approach
Restrictive frameworks and
being critical of suggestions
that are not seen as relevant
Allow them to talk and
enthuse and make use
of their natural desire
to communicate
Asking for too much detail
or expecting them to do
in-depth research
Approach them to ensure
your contributions are taken
forward and use them to
bring
the Watson
best out
of others
© Barrie
2006
Undermining them by
doing private deals, using
hidden agendas or pursuing
personal conflicts
Resource Investigator
Barrie
Co-ordinator
Charles
Slides by Barrie Watson - Belbin Associates
Thank You
For attending my workshop
I hope you found it
worthwhile
Barrie Watson
Belbin Associates, Cambridge, UK
e-mail: barrie@belbin.com
© These slides and the Team Role Alignment exercise were designed by
Barrie Watson for use by people attending the Belbin Symposium 2010
They may not be copied sold or used by anyone else.
©The Work Role model is the copyright of Belbin Associates
Slides by Barrie Watson - Belbin Associates