Belbin, (Raymond) Meredith (1926– )

English management theorist and psychologist. Belbin is a consultant partner at Belbin Associates, founded in 1988, which developed ‘Interplace’, a computer-based expert system designed for use in human resource management. Known internationally as the father of team roles, Belbin has argued that team building is a major factor in the successful growth and development of companies. In a consulting capacity, he has advised numerous organizations, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the US Department of Labor, and the European Commission (of the European Union).

Belbin has argued that people in teams have different functions. He identified nine different contributing roles, such as: ‘plants’, who advance new ideas and strategies; ‘shapers’, who set objectives and priorities; and ‘monitor evaluators’, who analyse problems and evaluate ideas and suggestions. The ‘Interplace’ system identifies why some team members have problems meeting their objectives and encourages members with different strengths and weaknesses to support each other. Belbin stressed that people often worked best, and spent the most time, on the parts of their job they enjoyed. His publications include Management Teams – Why They Succeed Or Fail (1981), Team Roles At Work (1993), Managing Without Power (2001), and The Evolution of Human Behaviour (2006).

Belbin received a first degree in classics and a doctorate in psychology at Cambridge University before continuing his research at Cranfield College of Aeronautics. He has held a number of academic appointments as lecturer and seminar leader, including one at Henley Management College (where he is an Honorary Fellow). Industrial appointments include the position of chairman of the Industrial Training Research Unit and director of the Employment Development Unit at Cambridge University. As well as holding the position of senior associate of the Judge Institute of Management Studies in Cambridge, he is a visiting Professor in Leadership at Exeter University. He rejoined Cambridge Recruitment Consultants (having been part of the original management team in 1970) in 2000, as non-executive director and technical adviser.