The document summarizes a presentation on group dynamics and team roles. It discusses Belbin's theory of team roles, key skills for effective teamwork, and how employers use case studies to assess skills. It provides an overview of the roles in Belbin's model and skills employers seek. It also offers tips for participating successfully in a case study, such as listening, understanding the question, and demonstrating skills rather than focusing solely on the answer.

1. Group Dynamics
Wednesday 16th November, 2011
Leicester University
Jo Pakulska

2. Today’s objectives
To understand Belbin’s theory of team roles
To understand the key skills needed to work effectively in a team
To understand the skills that employers look for in group case
studies
To practice teamwork skills by taking part in a team work case
study

3. TEAM-ROLE CONTRIBUTION ALLOWABLE WEAKNESSES
PLANT:
Creative, Solves difficult problems Loses touch with everyday realities
RESOURCE INVESTIGATOR:
Enterprising, Quick to explore opportunities Weak in follow through
CO-ORDINATOR:
Makes good use of group activities Manipulative
SHAPER:
Driving and challenging Provocative, Aggressive
COMPLETER FINISHER:
Painstaking, Conscientious Anxious, Reluctant to delegate
TEAMWORKER:
Co-operative, Averts friction Indecisive
MONITOR EVALUATOR:
Discerning and Objective Uninspiring, Slow-moving
IMPLEMENTER:
Disciplined, Efficient, Practical Slow to see new possibilities
(Belbin, 1981)

4. KEY SKILLS FOR TEAM WORK
Communication
Team work
Interpersonal skills
Problem solving
Creativity
Persuasiveness and influencing
Planning and Organising
What behaviours do you think you might display for these roles?

5. Employers often use team work case studies in order to
assess various transferable skills
What really matters?
Process The right answer!

6. How to come across well
Pay careful attention to instructions
Read written material thoroughly – don’t rush
Take part with whole-hearted commitment
Get involved – don’t work mainly on your own
Help others, be supportive, use others’ strengths
Be assertive, diplomatic, inclusive
Keep calm and use your sense of humour

7. Anatomy of a good case study
Beginning Middle End
• Understand the • Explain assumptions • Make argument
Defining problem • Pursue each argument logical
• Check it makes sense
• Explore limitations
Paraphrase •Check understanding • Summarise process
Questioning Question unknowns • Explain limitations of
answer
• Suggest
improvements
• Look engaged •Look for help • Involve external
Demonstrating • Notice hints reference points

8. Case Study: Bunker Exercise
Read the packs you have been given – 2 mins
Discussion: 20 mins
Please write the team’s answers on an A4
sheet and hand them in. All team members
must sign the bottom to show that they agree
with the final answer.

9. Common errors
Do’s Don’ts
Listen to initial instruction Misunderstand or answer the wrong
question
Make sure the question is fully
understood Proceed in a haphazard fashion
Begin by setting a structure Asking a barrage of questions
Communicate your train of Fail to synthesize a point of view
thought clearly
Not asking for help
Step back periodically & reflect
Leave the quieter members out
Be comfortable with numbers
Don’t fixate on “cracking the case”
Relax and enjoy the process.

10. Some people may feel…
Nervous
Anxious
Inferior
Deflated
Tongue-tied
Talkative
Stumped
Panicky
Overly analytical
Overwhelmed
Overly concerned about displaying certain behaviours
and come across as too dominant/too passive
ITS ABOUT BALANCE!

11. Key points to remember
Be yourself
Positive
Interesting/Interested
Enthusiastic
Truthful
Participate and don’t forget to listen
Remember it is not so much about the answer - show
your skills!
Prepare well and don’t panic!
Enjoy!

12. TEAM-ROLE CONTRIBUTION ALLOWABLE WEAKNESSES
PLANT:
Creative, Solves difficult problems Loses touch with everyday realities
RESOURCE INVESTIGATOR:
Enterprising, Quick to explore opportunities Weak in follow through
CO-ORDINATOR:
Makes good use of group activities Manipulative
SHAPER:
Driving and challenging Provocative, Aggressive
COMPLETER FINISHER:
Painstaking, Conscientious Anxious, Reluctant to delegate
TEAMWORKER:
Co-operative, Averts friction Indecisive
MONITOR EVALUATOR:
Discerning and Objective Uninspiring, Slow-moving
IMPLEMENTER:
Disciplined, Efficient, Practical Slow to see new possibilities
(Belbin, 1981)

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and poor educational attainment is greater than
in almost any other developed country.
believes that it doesn’t have to be this way.

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15. Application Process
Meet a
Register recruiter/ Online Assessment Conditional
Enrolment
online attend an application Centre Offer
event
Register your interest and complete an online application at
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We encourage all applicants to speak to/meet with a talent officer
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We recruit on a rolling basis and will fill vacancies as we find
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16. Contact me
• Phone or email with any questions
jpakulska@teachfirst.org.uk
• Have a one to one with Jo
• Join us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter
• Log onto our website for more information about the
programme www.teachfirst.org.uk