Solo Leaders and Team Leaders

The idea of Team Leadership is becoming increasingly popular around the world. Belbin reckons that there are two main reasons for this:

1. we are living in a world of increasing uncertainty where things are changing quite dramatically and often very quickly. One person can no longer understand all of this and provide the direction needed to cover every situation.

2. team leadership is the only form of leadership that is acceptable in a society where power is shared and so many people are nearly equal.

As dictators fall, whether in the state or in industry, people are looking for a type of leadership other than one that comes down from high above.

	Solo Leader	Team Leader
1.	Projects the idea that he knows everything best (interferes)	Chooses to limit his roles and delegates other roles to those who can do better
2.	Strives for conformity - tries to make everybody be the same	Builds of diversity - values the differences in different people
3.	Collects admirers and ‘yes men’	Seeks talented people and does not feel threatened by them
4.	Tells subordinates what to do	Encourages colleagues to use their particular strengths in their own way
5.	Management by Objectives - makes it clear exactly what everyone is supposed to do	Creates Mission - helps to clarify the vision which others act on as they think best.

Notes:

1.	Plays an unlimited role and interferes in everything that goes on	Takes on those roles in which he is strong and delegates to others who are strong where he is weak
2.	Personally ‘knows’ what is ‘best’ and tries to make everybody go along with this personal vision	Appreciates that people are different and makes allowance for their strengths and weaknesses
3.	Does not take kindly to criticism. Prefers people who do what they are told.	Tries to attract and keep hold of people with the special abilities that the team needs
4.	Expects subordinates to follow instructions and not to think for themselves (lack of trust)	Trusts colleagues to make best use of the strengths and encourages them to overcome their weaknesses
5.	Plans everything in advance and expects everybody to follow the plan exactly	Expects and encourages colleagues to be creative in finding ways of making the dream come true