Finding the power to be yourself at work with Belbin

Belbin reminds us all that we bring our best at work not when we try to do everything, but when we confidently do what we do best.

“You don’t have to be good at everything. Just be really good at being you.” – Dr Meredith Belbin (1926–2025)

Versatility and adaptability are praised in many workplaces, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing we must excel at everything. Yet this drive for perfection often leads to burnout, frustration, and underperformance. Finding the power to be yourself at work has helped many people. It's helped to create genuine psychological safety in teams and helped people and teams to better perform.

Dr. Meredith Belbin’s enduring wisdom reminds us of a powerful truth: success doesn’t come from being all things to all people—it comes from understanding, embracing, and amplifying who you already are. Be yourself at work, just a better understood version of self in the context of your team and workplace. Own and declare your strengths, and declare and manage the associated 'allowable weaknesses'.

Psychologically, the pressure to constantly “improve” in areas that don’t come naturally can be draining. It eats away at confidence and saps energy that could otherwise be invested in the areas where we thrive. Instead of pouring effort into masking our weaknesses, what if we focused on leaning into our strengths—those natural behaviours that energise us and make our greatest contributions possible?

And remember, Belbin Team Roles are all about workplace behaviours, and not functional roles or personality traits alone.

This is the heart of the Belbin Model. Rather than pigeonholing individuals or highlighting deficiencies, Belbin’s approach helps us understand our behavioural preferences—how we tend to contribute in teams—and appreciate the value of diversity in action. Whether you’re a creative Plant, a detail-oriented Completer Finisher, or a diplomatic Teamworker, the Belbin reports offer powerful insights that allow individuals and teams to work more effectively by celebrating the unique blend of roles each person plays (we usually have several roles that we can contribute in).

The power of this model isn’t just in self-awareness. It also fosters empathy and tolerance within teams. When colleagues can recognise and value behavioural differences—rather than judge or misinterpret them—they collaborate more smoothly, reduce conflict, and unlock higher performance.

Playing to your strengths doesn’t mean ignoring your limitations. It means being aware of them and building complementary partnerships, rather than wasting time trying to be someone you’re not. Belbin’s philosophy empowers individuals to focus on being the best version of themselves—authentic, effective, and self-aware—while encouraging organisations to build teams with balance, trust, and mutual respect.

In a world that’s constantly asking for more, Belbin reminds us of something deeply liberating: we’re at our best not when we try to do everything, but when we confidently do what we do best.

It’s not just us at Belbin that feel this way...

Some Other Research:

Strengths-Based Psychology (Gallup)

People who use their strengths every day are 6 times more likely to be engaged at work and 3 times more likely to report excellent quality of life.  Like Belbin, Gallup studies emphasise the performance and wellbeing benefits of identifying and using natural strengths rather than fixing weaknesses.

Positive Psychology (Seligman & Peterson)

Authenticity and playing to one’s “signature strengths” is correlated with higher life satisfaction, lower stress, and better workplace performance. Character Strengths and Virtues (Seligman & Peterson, 2004) and subsequent workplace applications. Encouraging employees to work in alignment with their strengths improves both wellbeing and output.

Psychological Safety (Amy Edmondson, Harvard)

Teams that allow people to be themselves—where members feel safe to express their true thoughts and contributions—outperform others significantly. The Fearless Organization (Edmondson, 2018) and ongoing work on psychological safety in high-performing teams. Understanding behavioural styles through Belbin fosters the mutual respect that supports psychological safety.

Deloitte’s “Human Capital Trends”

Highlights the growing demand for human-centred leadership, where authenticity, empathy, and self-awareness are critical skills. Stresses that “uniqueness is a workforce asset,” not something to suppress. 2023–2024 editions focus on tailoring work around people’s strengths and styles.

McKinsey & Company – “The State of Organizations” (2023)

Shows that the most resilient and high-performing organisations are those that match people to roles aligned with their strengths and intrinsic motivation. Notes that "trying to fit square pegs into round holes" in talent management leads to disengagement and attrition.

PwC’s “Future of Work” Reports

Emphasise the ROI of personalisation at work, which includes understanding and adapting to individuals’ behavioural styles and strengths. Link authenticity to innovation and higher retention, especially in diverse and cross-functional teams.