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It is a non-commercial site edited by Barrie Watson, a member of Belbin Associates. The purpose of the site is to provide information for people using or planning to use the Belbin Team Role model and other Belbin tools techniques and philosophies..

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Please Note: The answers given on this page are provided by Barrie Watson and represent his views and opinions, except where stated otherwise.

FAQ Answers - Belbin Work Roles

Q What exactly is a Work Role?
A A Work Role is defined as the mix of tasks and responsibilities undertaken by individuals or within a team. It utilises a colour classification system to clearly differentiate between four categories of work.

Q Where can I find out more about Belbin Work Roles?
A You can find a short explanation of Work Roles by clicking here.  For a full explanation I suggest you read Changing the Way We Work by Dr Meredith Belbin. (Published by Butterworth Heinemann)

Q The use of colours appears to be a bit of a gimmick to me.  Is this really necessary?
A The use of colours serves as a form of shorthand to differentiate between the four categories of work.   Once learnt, ambiguities and misunderstandings are avoided, just as with traffic lights.

Q If I give clear instructions I can't see the need to use fancy classifications.  Am I missing something?
A The four classifications and the colour coding exists for the very purpose of helping ensure clarity.  They also serve as an aide-memoir to prompt managers to decide under which of the four classifications work is being assigned.  This is extremely useful in itself because many managers predominantly use one category only for assigning work, and thus, fail to unleash the full potential and motivation of their subordinates.

Q How can use the Work Role model to improve my effectiveness as a manager?
A Assigning and delegating work to others is one of the key functions of managers. The Work Role model will help you to do this more effectively by providing clear understanding between you and each jobholder of what is expected.

Q Would my organisation benefit from using the Work Role model?
A Maybe, as many organisations fail to ensure people know precisely what is expected of them.  To help you form a more objective view however we suggest you download and complete the free checklist available at: http://www.btinternet.com/~cert/belbin_work_roles_checklist.pdf