The importance of knowing your strengths and weaknesses in Product Management

How the Belbin Team Roles model can help form stronger Product Teams.

Since my early days in product management, I've been fascinated by what distinguishes successful product managers from those who struggle. Surrounded by a highly skilled community of Product Managers, I initially believed success depended on a mix of knowledge and hard skills - things like curiosity, a customer-focused approach, agile methodologies, and the ability to innovate while prioritizing business outcomes.

However, I soon realized that skills alone weren't sufficient for success. There was a missing ingredient I couldn't quite pinpoint. I observed colleagues who, despite their expertise, didn't thrive in product management. Some switched to different roles, while others remained unhappy. Yet, some flourished.

My perspective shifted when I came across the Belbin Team Roles model, which is a research-based methodology that helps assess a person’s behavioural attributes using a self-assessment test and observer feedback. After our team underwent assessments, we gained insights into our behavioural tendencies in teamwork. This shed light on why certain aspects of our collaboration were highly effective, while others were challenging, despite all of us being proficient at our jobs. It became evident that being a Product Manager isn't solely about skills; it's equally about aligning skills and job requirements with natural behavioural abilities and strengths. This realization motivated me to become accredited as a Belbin Team Roles professional.

Since then, I've utilized Belbin Team Roles assessments to help several Product Managers find better responsibility splits within their teams or transition to new roles within their team. For instance, a Product Manager who dislikes coordinating a team but enjoys delving into details might excel as a Business Analyst instead. In my experience when overseeing and reshaping teams, understanding each team member's strengths and weaknesses is extremely important for this exact reason - sometimes a person’s behavioural strengths just do not make sense in a certain role while they might be great in another. So by using the Belbin Team Roles assessments alongside comprehensive skill evaluations, I've managed to achieve a certain balance in my teams where they complement each other's skills and abilities and collaborate more effectively towards shared objectives.

That said there is no standard “recipe” for a great Product Manager in terms of Belbin team roles. It all depends on the specific requirements of the role and the environment, but here’s some fruit for thought. 

For an Early Stage Startup or any rapidly changing environment with many challenges to overcome, I would suggest one of the following combinations:

1. Plant + Shaper + Resource Investigator:

• Plant: Generates creative ideas and solutions, thinking outside the box to tackle challenges innovatively.

• Shaper: Drives initiatives, challenges norms, and motivates others to achieve results.

• Resource Investigator: Explores opportunities, gathers information, and fosters external connections for growth.

  • Strengths: This combination thrives in the dynamic and fast-paced environment of an early-stage startup, fostering creativity, proactiveness, and a keen eye for new opportunities.

  • Weaknesses: However, in the absence of established processes and structure, there may be a risk of lacking focus or direction. The emphasis on innovation and exploration may sometimes lead to a lack of follow-through on existing initiatives, hindering progress.

  • Why: Early-stage startups require agility, innovation, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances. This combination fosters creativity, proactiveness, and a keen eye for new opportunities, essential for navigating the uncertainties and challenges of the startup landscape.

I speak from experience. This is my profile as well as a “book example” - a person like this can be a real asset for such companies. We thrive under pressure and for us, there exists literally no unsolvable problem. But this profile is a double-edged sword - it is very important that this person is complemented with team members who are able to provide structure and ensure follow-through. Furthermore, I, myself, have to be mindful about not driving my team of developers crazy. They tend to be some combination of implementers or other action-oriented roles and my intense nature and 700-new-ideas-per-second mind can be exhausting for them if I don’t let them finish things before serving them with new ideas.

2. Coordinator + Implementer + Team Worker:

• Coordinator: Delegates tasks, fosters teamwork and ensures alignment towards common goals.

• Implementer: Executes plans with precision, ensuring projects are completed efficiently and on time.

• Team Worker: Promotes collaboration, mediates conflicts, and fosters harmony within the team.

  • Strengths: This combination provides the structure, focus, and teamwork needed to meet deadlines, deliver results, and build a strong foundation for growth in startups.

  • Weaknesses: Yet, in an environment characterized by rapid change and uncertainty, there may be challenges in adapting quickly or seizing new opportunities. The emphasis on coordination and execution may sometimes stifle innovation or flexibility, limiting the startup's ability to pivot or explore new directions.

  • Why: Startups often operate with limited resources and tight deadlines. This combination provides the structure, focus, and teamwork needed to meet deadlines, deliver results, and build a strong foundation for growth.

For a Large Corporation or any environment with a set strategy, rules, and regulations, and perhaps a decent amount of legacy:

1. Coordinator + Monitor Evaluator + Completer Finisher:

• Coordinator: Delegates tasks, fosters teamwork and ensures alignment towards common goals.

• Monitor Evaluator: Analyzes ideas and strategies critically, providing balanced perspectives for informed decision-making.

• Completer Finisher: Ensures tasks are completed meticulously, with attention to detail and accuracy.

  • Strengths: This combination excels in a structured corporate environment, emphasizing adherence to rules and regulations, thoroughness in analysis, and attention to detail in execution.

  • Weaknesses: However, in highly dynamic or innovative industries, there may be challenges in adapting quickly or embracing change. The emphasis on following established processes and procedures may sometimes hinder agility or innovation, limiting the corporation's ability to respond to market shifts or emerging trends.

  • Why: Large corporations often operate within a structured framework with clear guidelines and procedures. This combination emphasizes adherence to rules and regulations, thoroughness in analysis, and attention to detail in execution, essential for maintaining compliance and managing risk.

  2. Specialist + Implementer + Monitor Evaluator:

• Specialist: Provides specialized expertise and insights in a specific domain or area of knowledge.

• Implementer: Executes plans with precision, ensuring projects are completed efficiently and on time.

• Monitor Evaluator: Analyzes ideas and strategies critically, providing balanced perspectives for informed decision-making.

  • Strengths: This combination leverages specialized expertise, efficient execution, and informed decision-making to support a large corporation's long-term goals and objectives.

  • Weaknesses: Yet, in rapidly evolving industries or markets, there may be risks associated with relying too heavily on existing knowledge or strategies. The emphasis on specialization and efficiency may sometimes lead to resistance to change or a reluctance to explore new opportunities, potentially limiting the corporation's ability to innovate and stay competitive.

  • Why: With a set strategy and established processes, large corporations prioritize efficiency, reliability, and risk management. This combination leverages specialized expertise, efficient execution, and informed decision-making to support the company's long-term goals and objectives.

Understanding my teams’ Belbin profiles has helped me realize their strengths and weaknesses and explain the root causes of certain dysfunctions more clearly. This in turn creates a sense of accomplishment because we are all able to contribute towards the team’s success by leaning on our strengths and trusting teammates to balance out our weaknesses. You see, Belbin’s framework suggests not improving on your weakest roles as it would be going against your nature. Instead, it suggests that you should find someone in your team who enjoys doing tasks you find difficult. Your strength should be in your diverse team supporting each other, not individuals striving to be perfect.