“Running High”

Taking its name from the opening line of the anonymous poem “An Oilman’s Lament”, this course brings to life the research of Dr Meredith Belbin, whose pioneering work in the late 1960’s at Henley Management College has helped shape how we consider effective teams in the work environment. The Wildcatters were speculators who earned their moniker through taking risks in their search for oil in unlikely and remote areas in the American southwest during the late 1800’s. They knew that they would only succeed if their teams of drillers, geologists, brokers and financiers worked together efficiently.

Through his research, Dr Belbin gathered evidence to create a model that helps to illustrate how effective teams like the Wildcatters can work; are more than the sum of their parts, manage their weaknesses, and comprise particular behaviours and attributes.

Participants are asked to complete an online questionnaire in advance of the workshop and, using additional input from colleagues to create 360° feedback on observed behaviours, their personal Self-Perception Team Role Profile is then created. This profile is then used as a framework for exploring and understanding Belbin Team Roles. Participants can then gain greater clarity and understanding of their attitude towards the roles that they undertake, and, if different, those with which they feel a greater affinity.