The importance of team roles for the success of a company

Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, once said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself”. Here he was alluding to the fact that, without proper teamwork, a company will always struggle to achieve its goals.

Although it takes time and effort to build the different components of a team, by bringing together the skills of each individual, it is possible to create a more productive and efficient working group, solve problems in less time, scale the business and build a solid organisation. This is the purpose of team roles.

If you want to know more, below we explain the different types of team roles in a work environment according to Belbin. Establishing these roles is conducive to having a well-balanced workforce because it ensures that each person undertakes their respective tasks, thereby contributing to the achievement of the intended goals.

What is a team role in a workgroup?

According to the Collins Online Dictionary, “If you have a role in a situation or society, you have a particular position and function in it”. 

When this definition is applied to a work team, team roles are the specific functions or skills that each member of a group of people performs in the work environment with a view to maximising productivity and efficiency. All of this leads to the creation of high-performing teams.

However, in order to define a specific role for each member in a way that allows the workgroup to function as a single unit, it is essential to know the strengths and weaknesses of each person. Not only will this increase motivation to complete tasks, but it will also allow each member to use their full potential and bring new insights to the project.

There are many benefits to this method, including improved understanding and a stronger sense of identity. Defining team roles also helps to:

• Optimise the skills and abilities of each individual.

• Encourage the development of a personal brand.

• Identify shortcomings that need to be addressed.

• Make better decisions.

• Improve group cohesion.

Types of team roles in a workgroup

In the words of Dr Meredith Belbin, “What is needed is not well-balanced individuals, but individuals who balance well with each other”.

Raymond Belbin first developed his team roles theory in his 1981 book Management Teams: Why They Succeed or Fail. Here he identifies 9 different types of team roles, based on the behavioural characteristics of each team member. All of these roles can be grouped into three broad categories:

• Action roles 

• Social roles

• Thinking roles

Action roles

These would apply to achievement-oriented people. These individuals usually have the necessary skills and abilities to carry out any type of task. Therefore, they play a key role in the completion of the activity, which implies the achievement of the set goal.

This type of team role is made up of three figures: 

• Shaper

• Implementer

• Completer Finisher

Shaper

The shaper is goal-oriented. To this end, they lead working groups and are able to bring out the best in each individual through a variety of initiatives.

They also have the social skills to manage any discussions that may arise, without making hasty decisions that might divert people from the set objectives. They are competitive and thrive under pressure.

They are highly motivated people and natural leaders who do not shy away from complicated or unexpected situations. As such, they are able to influence the motivation of other members, making them an integral part of the group.

Implementer

The implementer role type has a practical character and the right skills to efficiently steer ideas towards the final goal. In other words, people in this group understand the purpose of the goal. They are therefore able to communicate this to the rest of the team in simple and understandable language, thus ensuring its proper functioning.

Their loyalty, patience and resilience towards their colleagues are some of their most important skills. Indeed, in order to build resilient teams, it is crucial to know how to manage stress levels or changes in order to improve well-being and productivity at work.

Finally, although these are action roles, people in these categories are also considered to be highly disciplined, establishing work routines that help achieve results and seeking maximum efficiency by avoiding as many mistakes as possible. 

Completer Finisher

Completer finishers have an in-depth knowledge of the processes and methodologies in place, which means they know how to identify problems and seek quick and efficient solutions. They are also meticulous and perfectionistic, checking for even the smallest errors to ensure that all necessary steps have been followed.

Despite a tendency to be more introverted, they push the rest of the team to produce the highest quality of work, making them a vital part of any company.

You are probably familiar with the positions of an editor, quality specialist or technical assistant in a company. These profiles are examples of the completer finisher role.

Types of social roles

People in this category are particularly noted for their social skills. Social roles are responsible for organising and leading work teams and, through their strong communication skills, provide essential help or support to other members of the workgroup.

There are three types of team roles in this category: 

• Resource investigator

• Teamworker

• Co-ordinator

Resource investigator

This role is characterised by its sociability. Positivity is an inherent quality in these profiles and this helps them to effortlessly build new relationships with people outside the company’s working environment.

Their main function is to prevent team members from getting stuck in a particular area of the established process. This quality also enables them to constantly seek out new opportunities for the company, such as entering potential new markets or expanding business lines.

Their ability to gather data and make new contacts means that resource investigators can quickly identify competitive opportunities. They are persuasive people who know how to listen and filter important information.

Teamworker 

The teamworker role has an extroverted personality. They have strong emotional intelligence, which means they are sensitive people who spread good values and have a positive influence on the team. For example, they do their utmost to avoid conflict in the workplace.

They play a key role in ensuring that day-to-day activities run smoothly. This is due to their ability to listen to others and mediate confrontations. This in turn allows them to adapt to changes in their environment.

If a team member has an unforeseen professional or personal problem, the teamworker will usually be the first to offer assistance to ensure that a task’s deadline is met.

Co-ordinator

As in the previous case, the co-ordinator is another team member with good communication skills. He or she will encourage collaboration and pass on their motivation to the rest of the team to achieve the goals that have been set.

Thinking Roles

Finally, those who fill the thinking roles possess strategic skills and tend to be less concerned with following strict guidelines while being more innovative and creative in their work. In this sense, they play an essential part in the creation of an organisational plan.

There are three types of roles in this category:

• Plant

• Monitor evaluator

• Specialist

Plant

This team role is usually filled by creative people. This profile generally works through brainstorming and helps to balance the group by providing diverse and original proposals to solve common problems. However, as they prefer to consolidate their approaches before sharing them, they tend to work better alone and in horizontal structures where there is no traditional hierarchy and where they can be creative.

And while they are likely to create new challenges, they also provide more efficient solutions that maximise available resources. This, in turn, has a positive impact on productivity and, as a result, improves the end customer experience.

What professional profile stands out in this role? Product designers, for example, would be perfect candidates.

Monitor evaluator

The key aspects of the monitor evaluator role are impartiality and analysis. As such, they rely on rationality, leaving emotions aside and assessing whether the ideas being implemented are feasible. From here, they develop the appropriate measures to ensure that the proposals made are implemented, based on experience, results and logical choices.

Their role is fundamental in assessing the degree of efficiency of work processes. In addition, their qualities are best used in projects that require strategic planning and advanced knowledge.

Specialist

Specialists have specific skills, possessing an in-depth knowledge of a particular sector or field, which means they can contribute their expertise on a particular topic to the team. They are independent and inquisitive, and enjoy their work while keeping abreast of the latest industry trends. 

This is an essential role in the working environment as their functions are key to the smooth running of the project.

How team roles can drive organisational success

Defining team roles in a workgroup plays an integral part in achieving the established goals. This is why it is so important to identify the strengths of each individual, as this creates a balanced and efficient working environment where there is good communication, strategy and unity, which in turn promotes group motivation and continuous development.

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