When discussing team-building the models presented by Tuckman and Belbin cannot be passed by without mention. The former model taught us that when people get together with an idea of producing something of value together they tend to organize themselves spontaneously, going through the phases of forming and storming, thus negotiating optimal roles and areas where to best contribute to their mutual effort as individuals.
After the norming phase the team is thought to be ready to perform, hence to produce whatever the team was created in the first place to achieve. Belbin’s model discusses what kinds of roles are usually needed in teams. The nine roles include such team roles as Plant, Resource investigator, Shaper and Monitor evaluator.
The above models approach teams as self-sufficient entities, giving little regard to networks and connections with actors outside the team. When building teams rationally we should also take into account what kinds of personalities may best take on different team roles.
Understand and appreciate different types of individuals
In any case the team composition should meet the requirements arising from the rationale of the team’s existence - the chosen strategic goals. To facilitate this, the Mindfindr team model builds on the natural propensities and acquired competencies of individuals, yielding rank-ordered lists of team roles.
In practise teams are often created spontaneously along the lines discussed by Tuckman, this procedure potentially inviting difficulties along the way in dealing with some team tasks or in communication. In these cases the Mindfindr team analysis helps team leaders and members understand and appreciate different types of individuals and their respective strengths. Often coming to a realization of the challenges of team members may be even more important. This may bring forth a need to restructure the team by changing or modifying team roles. Sometimes the analysis may even warrant complementing and reinforcing the team through recruiting fresh members.
The Mindfindr team model entertains the fundamental concept that an individual may have strengths for many team roles, while these may be ranked based on the individual’s personality and competencies.
Take a Mindfindr test to find your relative strengths in the following eight team, group or board roles: The Finisher, The Organizer, The Diplomat, The Inspirer, The Challenger, The Networker, The Analyst and The Innovator.