Levels of Leadership: Integrating Belbin with Scouller’s Leadership Model

James Scouller’s Three Levels of Leadership model offers a powerful framework for leadership development, focusing on the "Public," "Private," and "Personal" levels. Belbin offers useful and actionable insight and advice at all three levels.

It highlights that leadership excellence isn't just about looking at our outward behaviours (Public), but also about managing our closer internal relationships (Private) and continuous self-mastery of ourselves (Personal).

However, applying this model in real world team environments can be challenging without making use of the right tools. This is where the Belbin Team Role model becomes invaluable for evidence-based insight into public, private and personal strengths and weaknesses.

The Belbin Model acts as an evidence-based diagnostic and developmental ally for those following the Three Levels of Leadership path. It brings science and research-based precision to team and group leadership, more clarity to interpersonal dynamics, and meaningful self-insight—all of which are vital for truly transformational leadership.

Belbin’s work identifies nine key team roles—such as Coordinator, Shaper, Implementer, and Plant—each describing distinct patterns of workplace behaviour that contribute to personal and team success. Through structured self- and peer-assessment, Belbin provides detailed, individualised reports that reveal how leaders and team members naturally interact in workplace teams, uncovering both strengths and "allowable weaknesses."

At the Public level, Scouller emphasises the leader's visible behaviour with groups and teams. Belbin reports help leaders to understand how they naturally present themself within teams or groups and how others may perceive them. Armed with these insights, leaders can better align their public behaviour with their natural behavioural strengths and the needs of the group or team, whether that means becoming a more visible Coordinator for example or stepping back to empower others’ creativity.  It also help better understand and manage areas of weakness.

At the Private level, leadership demands managing closer workplace relationships one-to-one and within smaller teams or pairings. Belbin’s insights allow leaders to spot the complementary talents (and potential friction points) between individuals they work with. By understanding their own team role compositions and those of others, leaders can create partnerships and task forces that naturally harmonise, create ‘working relationships that enhance productivity while reducing conflict.

Finally, at the Personal level, Scouller calls for deeper self-awareness and inner psychological growth. Belbin reports offer a mirror for self-reflection, highlighting personal biases, strengths under pressure, and less developed areas that we see, and importantly what others see in us. Belbin's Observer inputs can help to highlight any blindspots that we may have.

Leaders can use this feedback to challenge limiting beliefs and intentionally cultivate broader behavioural flexibility and adaptability, a hallmark of Personal leadership development.

To find out more about how we work with Belbin and leadership contact us:

T - 1300 731 381 / E - Admin@SabreHQ.com / Team@Belbin.com.au or visit the Belbin Australia Website at www.Belbin.com.au