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<TITLE>Re: [OSLIST] Instruments for teamwork</TITLE>
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Masud,<BR>
I totally agree with your idea of the underpinning of "engineering" with Belbin. That is the reason why we have sofar only used it in training situations and not in team development situations, when we are facilitating (long-term) team development processes. For me, models like Belbin are like a tool/instrument to pick up the clients where they are, i.e. if I am working with a team of engineers, who are not used to reflecting their relationships, I could imagine using it in a team development context in order to meet their way of thinking and structuring their world. At the same time, I believe, there is a value in proposing an alternative (systemic) way of looking at the world - maybe that is why I have never used Belbin in a team development situation. <BR>
<BR>
Another reason for being hesitant to use these instruments is the lack of context. Even if I stress it when filling in those questionnaire, there is always the tendency to label and to forget about the context. Or at least people do not give the amount of attention to the context I think is necessary to derive sustainable results and insights from it. Especially in team situations I therefore prefer to focus on the actual context.<BR>
<BR>
I am enjoying the discussion!<BR>
<BR>
Mayke<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
___________________________________________<BR>
essence - Beratung, Training, Coaching<BR>
Mayke Wagner<BR>
Hanser 3<BR>
88279 Amtzell<BR>
GERMANY<BR>
<BR>
mayke.wagner@t-e-a-m.org<BR>
Tel (+49) 07520 / 9232 02<BR>
visit us: <http://www.t-e-a-m.org><BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
<B>Von: </B>Masud Sheikh <masheikh@cogeco.ca><BR>
<B>Antworten an: </B>OSLIST <OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU><BR>
<B>Datum: </B>Wed, 18 Feb 2004 08:33:25 -0500<BR>
<B>An: </B>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR>
<B>Betreff: </B>Re: [OSLIST] Instruments for teamwork<BR>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial">To my way of thinking, the main value (as with so many other instruments) is the self-awareness it brings and the opportunity to balance personal weaknesses.</FONT></FONT> <BR>
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<FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial">When I undertook the questionnaire myself for the first time, one role came out quite clearly for me. When I did this again many months later, the dominant roleš was no longer as dominant I could fill more than one role.</FONT></FONT> <BR>
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<FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial">Open Space has a philosophical underpinning of self-organizing. Belbin seems to have a philosophical underpinning of engineeringš. I have often wondered if these philosophies can be combined, or whether the two play different roles, in different (cycle of) times. <BR>
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<FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial">Mayke, have you used Belbin only during training, or have you used it for actual (longer running) projects?</FONT></FONT> <BR>
<BR>
<FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"> <BR>
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<FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial">Esther, if you say a little more about the context in which you are asking the question, I (and others) might be in a better position to comment.</FONT></FONT> <BR>
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<FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial">Masud</FONT></FONT> <BR>
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<FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial">1-905-338-9583 <BR>
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<FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Tahoma">-----Original Message-----<BR>
<B>From:</B> OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Mayke Wagner, essence<BR>
<B>Sent:</B> February 18, 2004 4:29 AM<BR>
<B>To:</B> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR>
<B>Subject:</B> Re: Instruments for teamwork</FONT></FONT> <BR>
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<FONT FACE="Times New Roman"> <BR>
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<FONT FACE="Times New Roman">Hi Ester,<BR>
we have used Belbin for a couple of years! There is different ways of working with you:<BR>
1. You can introduce the roles. We always explain the roles, looking at a whole work process: creating ideas, evaluating ideas, planning things, putting things into action, evaluating the outcome, improving... The specialist role has been "created" after the initial roles - so it does not really fit in the work process, but is obviousy needed. <BR>
According to your explanations, the participants explore which roles they prefer...<BR>
With respect to dealing with differences in groups, it makes sense to focus on the strength each role contributes. These strengths are tied to weaknesses and you can only get the "package", so the people start looking at the benefifs of having, for example, a creative inventor in their team and stop complaining about the chaotic side of the person!<BR>
<BR>
2. Another option would be that the participants fill in the questionnaire and then - after explaining the roles - you look at the results with respect to the team (Do we have all roles in the team? What is missing? What are the effects of that?) and to the individual.<BR>
<BR>
What I find important that the people fill in the questionnaire with a certain team situation in the back of their mind. That way, their role is situational and the idea, that you may have different roles in different teams, gets across.<BR>
<BR>
3. A third option is to give written explanations to the participants, and have them come up with strength and weaknesses, popular examples. <BR>
<BR>
4. I heard someone introduced the roles by using start trek - supposedly you have all the roles in it! Since I am not a star trek freak, I have not used the approach.<BR>
<BR>
5. What I have also seen before is a combination of Belbin and Riemann's dimensions of fear (I only know it in German - so I do not know whether it is known in the English-speaking world). The dimensions are distance - closeness and change - continuity (process) and in those four quadrants they have allocated the Belbin roles. <BR>
<BR>
It would take me tto long to explain everything in written form. My suggestion is that you give me a call and I can explain what I know on the phone. That is, of course, an offer for others as well!<BR>
<BR>
I hope these ideas are helpful! <BR>
Greetings from Germany,<BR>
<BR>
Mayke<BR>
___________________________________________<BR>
essence - Beratung, Training, Coaching<BR>
Mayke Wagner<BR>
Hanser 3<BR>
88279 Amtzell<BR>
GERMANY<BR>
<BR>
mayke.wagner@t-e-a-m.org<BR>
Tel (+49) 07520 / 9232 02<BR>
visit us: <http://www.t-e-a-m.org></FONT> <BR>
<BR>
<FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><BR>
<B>Von: </B>"Esther ." <EwingChange@aol.com><BR>
<B>Antworten an: </B>OSLIST <OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU><BR>
<B>Datum: </B>Mon, 16 Feb 2004 16:08:57 EST<BR>
<B>An: </B>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR>
<B>Betreff: </B>Re: [OSLIST] Instruments for teamwork</FONT> <BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"> <BR>
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<FONT FACE="Arial"><B>Masud:<BR>
</B><BR>
<B>How would you approach using Belbin with a team?<BR>
</B><BR>
<FONT SIZE="2"><BR>
Esther Ewing<BR>
The Change Alliance - Assisting Individuals and Organizations to Build Capability<BR>
www.ChangeAlliance.com <http://www.changealliance.com/> <BR>
330 East 38th St, Suite 53K<BR>
New York, NY 10016-9804<BR>
212-661-6024<BR>
<BR>
Authorized Distributor, Panoramic Feedback<BR>
www.panoramicfeedback.com <http://www.panoramicfeedback.com/> <BR>
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