Belbin Australia Rep - Spotlight in the Role of IMPLEMENTER
Ideas and inputs from other Team Roles are all valuable of course, but where the “rubber actually hits the road” and ideas and plans need to be turned into action and reliable systems, you need your Implementers.
When it’s time for this hard work to be done, other roles might “hear their Mums calling”, but your Implementer is the one who actually rubs their hands together and says “right, what needs to be done here”.
They will get their hands dirty and often find themselves doing the work they may not necessarily enjoy, but they know the team needs to get it done so will do it anyway.
An Implementer is an “action oriented” person usually characterised by being loyal, well organised, disciplined and as the name suggests, is great at Implementing things.
If you want things to be well organised and to have systems that are dependable, an Implementer is usually your man or woman for that job.
The price they pay for their love of reliable, dependable and proven ways of doing things means that rapid change or adoption of new ideas that are untested in their eyes can make them uncomfortable.
Even if external market forces or clients may be demanding change, strong Implementers can often be subconsciously (and consciously) resistant to most change. “Hey, we have used this approach reliably for 5 years, if it ain’t broke why fix it?” may be the cry when change looms.
They can become attached to ways they see as safe and reliable, particularly if they have played a role in building those systems.
The non allowable weakness is really digging in their heels and obstructing new ways of doing things, and change without good reason to back it up.
The irony is, that if can take them time and effirt to get your Implementers involved with creating the steps for change, and they know why it needs to occur, they can be your best allies to "Implement" that change. Fail to do this well and you can create plenty of angst and resistance amongst your Implementers.