6 team player archetypes- reflection activity

During team games and activities, we often see people adopting different roles based on a number of things including their personality, their skills and experience, and their status and sense of power in the team.

Teams need a mix of these roles in order to perform well, and that requires adaptability from members of the team.

Here are some of the common archetypes we have observed while leading our experiences for teams.

Have you observed people adopting these archetypes in your team?

If you want these archetype descriptions in an easy to present slide deck as well as reflection questions for your team, you can download it here.

  1. The Leader/Organiser 

  • Sets or facilitates the discussion around strategy for allocation of tasks

  • Resource-focused, delegates- “do we have the information we need/can everyone access the link/does everyone understand”

  • Is motivated to resolve any resourcing issues identified

  • Often vocalises time updates for benefit of team 

  • Sometimes also acts as the scribe 

  • Makes sure the team is on task and keeps moving through the game (not getting stuck too long on a question)

2. The Quiet Achiever

  • Often the scribe 

  • Only communicates information pertinent to the task 

  • Less focus on interpersonal communication 

  • Completes allocated tasks quickly

  • Once allocated tasks are completed, asks for more tasks

  • Less likely to ask for help with actual task completion 

 3. The Information Gatherer 

  • Uses external resources to guide team in finding solutions- i.e, googles a lot

  • Often displays lateral thinking, and provides suggestions related to the master (meta) puzzle 

  • Often takes a supporting role- may not solve individual puzzles - “I can look for that”

  • Asks for help and asks others if they need help

4. The Dominant Communicator

  • Asks direct questions

  • Takes the most ‘air time’, can interrupt or speak over others

  • Delegates tasks to others

  • Makes suggestions as to overall strategy 

  • Vocalises their thinking/approach when solving problems

5. The Team Motivator

  • Provides encouragement to team members consistently

  • Facilitates interpersonal interactions, particularly through humour

  • Communicates empathetically i.e. uses self as example to solicit information from others, rather than asking direct questions 

  • Contributions might not necessarily be task related, but geared toward group cohesion//psychological safety of team mates

  • Seeks involvement  

6. The Joker 

  • Doesn’t take the game or themselves so seriously and wants to keep the atmosphere fun & positive

  • Tries to land jokes to lighten the mood

  • Might distract team members and take them off task from time-to-time

  • Often a good socialiser / likeable character

Reflection exercise

If you are leading a game for your team (sign up for free), get them to reflect on which, if any of these team-player archetypes they would use to describe themselves after they have finished the game.

It’s a good way for them to take a step back and reflect on their behaviours and actions during the game.

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