Expert Team Role Explained

Belonging to the group according to the team role theory: Earth group

Representatives of this group don't have their heads in the clouds — on the contrary, they stand firmly on the ground. They are conservative and have a hard time accepting workflow changes. These types of employees are confident that a clearly completed task is the result they come to work for.

Even if they aren't chock-full of new ideas and don't seek to take responsibility for the overall result, it's the people from the Earth group who do most of the team's workload. A successful team without responsible performers from the Earth group is a rarity.

Experts are people with a broad outlook and extensive knowledge, who also have a detailed understanding of the processes carried out by all executors on the team. They are the ones responsible for achieving specific work goals, solving current practical issues, and managing and monitoring the work of executors — Blacksmiths and Farmers.

Experts have the gift of persuasion, and sometimes they can even manipulate their subordinates to achieve their goals. An Expert is a classic department head, a leader of the team of executors who spares no effort for the good of the company. At the same time, the Expert doesn't like to work too hard — they know their worth and always demand decent compensation for their time.

As a rule, Experts have broad experience and are respected by their subordinates and top management. They are often involved in discussions of the practical side of various innovative concepts. They are the ones who know exactly the capabilities of each executor and can draw up a step-by-step plan with clear tasks for themselves and each subordinate.

• They have extensive experience and expertise in their field.
• They are interested in all aspects of the team's work, and not only in their narrow specialization.
• They know how to find an approach and motivate each executor.
• They willingly share their knowledge with their co-workers and subordinates.
• They're ambitious and persistent.

• They may stop developing and learning, relying only on their previously acquired knowledge and experience.
• They tend to pass off their tasks to their subordinates.
• They're confident in the unique importance of their role on the team.
• They are prone to an uncritical assessment of their own work.
• They can be too self-confident — it's hard for them to accept even well-justified criticism.

Because of their team role, Experts most often interact with the executors who are subordinate to them. Such work requires Experts to constantly develop their empathy, motivation, and management skills. Experts like to emphasize their professional excellence, which often leads to conflicts with the main executors — Farmers and Blacksmiths.

Because of their excessive self-confidence, Experts may have trouble communicating with Analysts. They also tend to emphasize their superior work experience and be condescending toward people from the Air group — Idea Generators, Dreamers, and Geniuses.

Depending on the type of team, Experts can take on many functions, but the main one is to ensure the practical implementation of assigned tasks.

Such people immediately stand out on the team thanks to their versatility and multitasking. They are not afraid to take responsibility for the result; they can professionally negotiate with the client and at the same time solve complex technical problems.

Not all teams have Experts; their functions can be quite successfully distributed among Analysts, Warriors, and direct executors.

To grow professionally, Experts need to learn to listen to constructive criticism and rein in their overconfidence.

Experts who have learned not to flaunt their professional excellence at every opportunity quickly find common ground with their colleagues — just like Experts who handle heavy workloads themselves, motivate people better, and enjoy more authority among their subordinates.