A role is a set of related duties and behaviors that exist independently from the person who acts in that role. Roles are part of a team's structure, and having a role defines each team member's position in the group relative to the others. Team roles establish expectations about who will do what to help the team succeed.
Roles may be assigned formally to team members or be assumed by individuals voluntarily. Each role is best suited to a person with the necessary skills and experience, since without them it is difficult to achieve credibility or influence on others. Team roles are not necessarily linked to specific work tasks and may even include responsibilities that do not directly contribute to the team's output.
Common Team Roles
The consultant Meredith Belbin studied high-performing teams and devised a typology based on how members contributed to the group's success. In his model there are three types of team roles: action-oriented, people-oriented, and idea-oriented.
- Action-oriented roles are pragmatic—they focus on getting things done by taking ideas and turning them in practical plans. We think of these as leadership roles, since what they do can stimulate others to achieve goals.
- People-oriented roles deal with coordinating tasks, supporting communication, and facilitating working relationships. These roles can require negotiation skills, keen perception about human behavior, and good listening abilities.
- Idea-oriented roles involve generating new approaches, analyzing information, and thinking critically about the team's work. Often these roles are filled by specialists with deep knowledge in a functional area or another type of subject-matter expertise.
Together these roles address both a team's tasks and how it accomplishes them. Each type of role brings something valuable to how a team functions. When a role is missing because there is no one available to fill it, team performance can suffer.