Research has identified a number of different roles that individuals assume in teams. 

This work suggests that an individual’s personality predisposes them to play one of these roles and, at times, a combination of many. Eight team roles are identified by the 15 Factor Questionnaire (15FQ). It should be noted that this classification is based on an individual’s personality and does not take into account their aptitudes and abilities. For certain team roles, for example the ideas person, intellectual ability as well as personality are critical for success.

Shaper–Driver

The Shaper-Driver is the one who takes charge of specific projects and tasks in the group. Their function is to give shape to the team’s efforts and to bring together the contributions of different team members into a clearly defined plan of action.

Team-Builder

In contrast to the Shaper-Driver, the Team-Builder is more concerned with resolving emotional conflicts and preserving good working relationships within the team than they are with achieving results. Their role is to promote harmony within the group and to counterbalance discord generated by other team members, in particular that created by the Shaper-Driver and Evaluator-Critic.

The Implementer

The Implementer is the practical organiser of the group. They are the ones who turn decisions and strategies into well-defined goals and plans.

Inspector-Completer

The Inspector-Completer is the worrier of the group. They are not happy until they have personally checked every detail and have ensured that nothing has been overlooked.  Although pedantic in their approach to problems, they ensure that team members do not make careless mistakes.

Innovator

The Innovator is the team’s source of new and original ideas. Although other team members may also have ideas, the Innovator is likely to have the most original and radical.  They tend to be both intelligent and imaginative and will be the source of new approaches to problems that the team has failed to overcome.

Evaluator-Critic

The Evaluator-Critic lacks the enthusiasm of many of the other team members.  They will not often contribute ideas to the group but see their role as that of providing constructive criticism whenever they can see a flaw in a plan or strategy. Although they can have a dampening effect on team morale, they are nevertheless highly valued team members because of their ability to foresee problems. Practical to the last, they will stop the team from rushing head-long into disaster.

Resource Investigator

The Resource Investigator is the link between the team and the outside world. They communicate the intentions and requirements of the team to outsiders, liaising between the team and the outside world.

The Coordinator

The Coordinator takes the role of chairman within the team, although this may not be recognised officially. They preside over the team and coordinate its efforts to meet external targets. They set the agenda for the team, select the problems for consideration and establish priorities.