Four roles for a better team dynamic

In team work members usually take an unconscious role: the mover, the opposer, the follower or the bystander*. The mover is the one who launch a new idea in order to move forward the team work. The opposer is the one who launch another idea, opposite to the mover’s one. The follower is the one who agree with the mover. Finally, the by-stander is the one who reject both idea using appropriate arguments.

By nature, I prefer observe people before take the word. It might help me to analyze other’s proposition better. So, I can easily see if ideas offered are relevant or not. Sometimes I can take the role of the mover. I choose it only when the group dynamic is bad. I mean, when nobody really wants to start to take the word. But because I don’t like such kind of situation, I take the word. It’s not I’m feeling uncomfortable but I believe other team member see me as the leader and give me all the responsibilities. When it’s time to take decision, most of the times we ask the leader to choose the final word. Also when something doesn’t work we ask the leader to fix it, even if all team members have the same level of skills or responsibility in theory.

I can also use the role of the opposer and the follower. Nevertheless I could improve those two points. I see the follower as someone who is avoiding conflict. Too often, we met people who follow because they don’t know how to express their opinion or who don’t really have one on the subject. I deeply think this is useless. I might improve my skills as follower if I could find usefulness as being follower. Be the opposer is easier. I like see the side people usually avoid. I like play the devil’s advocate. It’s brings the team view from another angle, to see other solutions or other issues. The point is I tend to not do it as much as I could. I guess it is because of the social pressure. People acting as opposer are often seen as negative people, who slow down the team dynamic. I knew someone like this. At the end of the team work, nobody could work with him anymore. He was just the annoying boy always criticizing our idea but without bringing new one.

During my last team meeting I tried to apply one of my two weakest points: following. It was pretty hard, especially when I didn’t absolutely agree with one’s idea. I always wanted to follow it but adding my suggestions, by-stand or oppose. It was kind of frustrating. It’s also forced me to speak before heard everybody’s ideas. I felt I had not enough information to extract the right idea. I think the only way for me to improve this skill is to associate a positive role to the follower. As I mentioned above, a follower doesn’t seems to have his own opinion. If I find a useful role to the follower it might change my perception of it and it could be more natural to use it. 

*Four Players Model from David Kantor, 1995