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ACCA Applied Knowledge · Business and Technology · Team formation, development and management

A manager wants to build a team in which members' differing preferred roles are used effectively. Which action is MOST consistent with Belbin's findings on team balance?

Ensure a range of team roles is covered, accepting allowable weaknesses where another member compensates. Belbin's research shows balanced teams perform better than teams of similar types, which leave gaps and create competition. Loading the team with one role such as Shaper creates imbalance.

  1. ASelect only members who share the same dominant team role so that conflict is minimised
  2. BEnsure a range of team roles is covered, accepting that members' weaknesses are allowable where another member compensatesCorrect
  3. CAppoint a Shaper to every task so that pace is always maintained, regardless of the other members

Explanation

Belbin argued that effective teams need a balance of roles, with members' allowable weaknesses covered by others' strengths. A team with identical roles tends to have gaps and competition. Over-reliance on one role, such as Shaper, creates imbalance and friction.

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