What makes high performance teams

But we must still be introduced to the Shaper, the Teamworker, the Resource Investigator and the Specialist.

Like the others, they too have their vital contribution to make, enabled by their positive traits.

And like the others they display the ‘allowable’ weaknesses that come with the package.

Let’s confront the Shaper now, a task-focused leader bursting with nervous energy, highly competitive and very motivated.

Such people are all about ‘shaping’ their own and their team’s achievements but, and here we go with their downside, they are so aggressive, they can easily provoke others and offend their feelings.

Thank goodness there are also Teamworkers, cooperative, mild and diplomatic individuals who smooth over conflicts, calm situations and keep the team running.

The extravert, enthusiastic Resource Investigator rushes around externally, pursuing great contacts and opportunities… but oh dear, forgets small details and loses interest once their initial enthusiasm has waned.

Thank heavens for the single-minded, self-starting, dedicated Specialist, who enjoys providing knowledge and skills that are in rare supply.

Needless to say, Specialists are restricted to contributing in only their narrow area of expertise.

Many of us feel at reasonably home in more than one role.

Depending on such factors as the subject matter and what roles have filled by other team members, we are flexible to fill at least some of the remaining unmet needs.

What we don’t want though, is too many people of any one type.

And thanks to Dr Belbin, we have a helpful language in which to talk about it all.

meldon@symphony.co.ke