Belbin Team Roles Test for Students

Discover Your Team Role

This test will help you understand your natural strengths in team situations based on Dr. Meredith Belbin’s research. Knowing your team role can help you work more effectively with others in group projects, school activities, and future work environments.

Instructions: For each section, distribute exactly 10 points among the statements that best describe your behavior. You can give all 10 points to one statement or divide them among several.

Test Questions

Section 1: What can I contribute to a team?

I quickly spot and take advantage of new opportunities

I can work well with many different types of people

Generating ideas is one of my natural talents

I can persuade people when I find something valuable for the team

My ability to follow through on projects contributes to my effectiveness

I’m willing to face temporary disagreement and unpopularity if it leads to good results

I’m usually realistic – I sense things that promise real results

I can suggest reasonable alternatives for action without bias

Section 2: If something is missing in my teamwork, it’s because:

I get annoyed if meetings don’t have a clear agenda and aren’t well conducted

I tend to be generous toward people with well-argued positions that haven’t gotten attention

I talk too much when the group discusses new ideas

My understanding prevents me from quickly joining my colleagues’ views

Sometimes my style is seen as too energetic and authoritative when something needs to get done

I find it hard to lead – I seem to give in too much to the group’s influence

I get carried away by ideas that occur to me and stop tracking what’s actually happening

Colleagues think I worry too much about details and the possibility of things going wrong

Section 3: When I’m involved in a project with other people:

I can influence them without pressuring them

My watchfulness prevents oversights and mistakes

During meetings I insist we take action to ensure we don’t waste time or stray from the main topic

You can count on my original contribution

I’m always ready to support any good suggestion in the common interest

I follow the latest ideas and events with interest

I believe my judgment helps make the right decisions

You can rely on me to organize everything essential well

Section 4: My characteristic approach to teamwork is:

I show unobtrusive interest in getting to know colleagues better

I don’t hesitate to oppose others’ views or be in the minority with my own view

I usually find a way or argument to reject unreasonable suggestions

Once a plan is in action, I think I can ensure things function well

I usually avoid the obvious and discover the unexpected

I put a touch of perfection in every task I undertake

For the common goal I’m ready to use contacts outside the group

Although interested in all views, when a decision is needed, I take a firm position

Section 5: I get satisfaction from work because:

I enjoy analyzing various situations and evaluating all options

I enjoy finding practical solutions to problems

I like feeling I contribute to good working relationships

I can strongly influence decisions

I meet people who can offer something new

I can reconcile people’s opinions to take the necessary course of action

I feel in place when I can give my full attention to a task

I enjoy discovering areas that fire my imagination

Section 6: If I’m suddenly given a difficult task with tight deadlines and unfamiliar people:

I’d want to withdraw to a corner to find a way out of the difficult situation before developing my approach

I’d be ready to work with the person who shows the most positive approach

I’d find some way to limit the task’s scope by determining how different people can help most

My natural sense of urgency would help us meet deadlines

I believe I’d keep my cool and think clearly

I’d stick firmly to the goal despite pressure

I’d be ready to take the initiative if I felt the group wasn’t progressing

I’d provoke discussions to stimulate new ideas and get things moving

Section 7: Thinking about problems I have when working in a group, I see that:

I’m usually impatient with people who hinder progress

Others may criticize me for analyzing too much and not relying enough on intuition

My desire for work to be done right may slow things down

I tend to get bored easily and rely on colleagues to energize me

I find it hard to start if the goals aren’t clear to me

Sometimes I find it hard to explain complex ideas that occur to me

I understand I ask from others things I can’t do myself

I hesitate to present my ideas when I face serious opposition

Your Team Role Results

Based on your answers, here are your primary team roles:

Your Primary Role:

All Belbin Team Roles Explained

Plant (PL) – The Creative Innovator

Strengths: Creative, imaginative, unorthodox, solves difficult problems

Allowable Weaknesses: Might ignore details, too preoccupied to communicate effectively

Student Perspective: As a Plant, you’re the idea generator in group projects. You come up with original solutions but might need help from teammates to develop and implement your ideas practically.

Resource Investigator (RI) – The Explorer

Strengths: Extrovert, enthusiastic, communicative, explores opportunities

Allowable Weaknesses: Over-optimistic, loses interest after initial enthusiasm

Student Perspective: You’re great at making connections and finding resources for projects. You bring energy to the team but might need reminders to follow through on commitments.

Coordinator (CO) – The Chairperson

Strengths: Mature, confident, clarifies goals, promotes decision-making

Allowable Weaknesses: Can be seen as manipulative, delegates personal work

Student Perspective: You naturally take charge in group work, helping organize tasks and people. Be careful not to take over completely – make sure everyone gets to contribute.

Shaper (SH) – The Driver

Strengths: Challenging, dynamic, thrives on pressure, has drive to overcome obstacles

Allowable Weaknesses: Prone to provocation, offends people’s feelings

Student Perspective: You push the team to get things done and meet deadlines. Your energy is valuable, but remember to be patient with teammates who work differently.

Monitor Evaluator (ME) – The Judge

Strengths: Sober, strategic, discerning, sees all options, judges accurately

Allowable Weaknesses: Lacks drive, overly critical, slow to decide

Student Perspective: You’re the critical thinker who evaluates ideas objectively. Your analysis improves projects, but try to balance criticism with encouragement.

Teamworker (TW) – The Supporter

Strengths: Cooperative, mild, perceptive, diplomatic, listens, builds

Allowable Weaknesses: Indecisive in crunch situations, avoids confrontation

Student Perspective: You’re the glue that holds the team together, smoothing conflicts and supporting others. Don’t be afraid to voice your own opinions too.

Implementer (IMP) – The Organizer

Strengths: Disciplined, reliable, conservative, efficient, turns ideas into actions

Allowable Weaknesses: Somewhat inflexible, slow to respond to new possibilities

Student Perspective: You’re great at creating practical plans and getting work done systematically. Be open to new approaches that might improve your methods.

Completer Finisher (CF) – The Perfectionist

Strengths: Painstaking, conscientious, delivers on time, searches out errors

Allowable Weaknesses: Inclined to worry, reluctant to delegate

Student Perspective: You ensure projects are polished and error-free. Your attention to detail is valuable, but don’t let perfectionism slow the team down unnecessarily.

Specialist (SP) – The Expert

Strengths: Single-minded, self-starting, dedicated, provides knowledge/skills

Allowable Weaknesses: Contributes only on narrow front, dwells on technicalities

Student Perspective: You bring deep knowledge in specific areas to group projects. Share your expertise while also engaging with the bigger picture of the team’s work.

Belbin Team Roles Test for Students

Belbin Team Roles Test for Students

Discover Your Team Role

Test Questions

Section 1: What can I contribute to a team?

Section 2: If something is missing in my teamwork, it’s because:

Section 3: When I’m involved in a project with other people:

Section 4: My characteristic approach to teamwork is:

Section 5: I get satisfaction from work because:

Section 6: If I’m suddenly given a difficult task with tight deadlines and unfamiliar people:

Section 7: Thinking about problems I have when working in a group, I see that: