Teamwork

39Strong teams are better than the sum of their parts. If the team has the right mix of skills and attitude, then great synergies can be achieved, as long as everyone is pulling in the same direction! There are different roles within any team and you will discover that people may perform different functions within different teams, and several functions within a small team.


The team is the basic building block of any company. Strong, effective teams are better than the sum of their parts. If the team has the right mix of skills and attitude, then great synergies can be achieved as long as everyone is pulling in the same direction!

Teams go through stages of development often referred to as

Form, Storm, Norm, Perform, Mourn

Based on work done by Tuckman on stages of group development.

Form – the team comes together , and after some jostling for position establishes roles .

Storm- this is the phase in which the group seeks to improve, and work together.

Norm-the team settle into roles and authority, work better together, establish common understanding, team is more important than the individual.

Perform- team work well together, have clear objectives, review procedure, improve performance, values members, works with other groups, leadership develops, everyone’s contribution is important.

Mourn-this is the breakup of the group due to a member leaving, a sense of loss develops.


There are different roles within any team.

Chairman-preside over the team, co-ordinate .Focused, balanced

Shapers-task leader. Specify team effort, set objectives and priorities.

Workers-practical organisers, administers, planners

Plants-imaginative, creatively intelligent, introvert, not normally good with detail.

Resource investigator –extrovert salespeople, liaisons, contribute new ideas from their contacts.

Evaluator –analytically intelligent, able to use logic to evaluate ideas, and detect flaws. Quality check the group

Team workers –uncompetitive, supportive, communicators.

Completer –ensures deadlines are met, checks details, and conveys a sense of urgency.

A good team needs a balance of these roles.

It is important to note that people may perform different functions within different teams, and several functions within a small team.

So a shaper in one team may be a chairman in another, or a completer in a team may also be a worker.

Meredith Belbin has done research into teams and concluded that good team needs the following;-

  • A patient leader who is a commanding figure who generates trust . A good leader knows how to find and deploy ability. Does not dominate but will pull things together at a critical point.
  • at least one strong plant
  • a spread of mental abilities and personal attributes covering all the team roles.
  • A match between members attributes and their team position
  • Ability to understand and compensate for team imbalance and weakness.


Team leaders need to support team development by being aware of the interaction between team members, anticipating and resolving problems within the team, reviewing performance, building trust, allowing for personal development within the team. They also need to deal with conflicts, enforce ground rules, keep everyone focused on the task and deadlines, and give feedback and rewards.