Somethings can’t be tackled alone, they are too big; too complex; too daunting for one person, however super-heroic.  That seems to be the situation that Netflix’s Marvel heroes find themselves in the new series The Defenders.

But working together can be hard, so how can Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist & Daredevil ensure that the sum of the parts is greater than the whole?

Luckily the work of a Professor long-associated with Henley Business School, Meredith Belbin, can help.

He identified that all teams need 9 roles covered to achieve greatness:

– The source of ideas – the Plant;

– The link to the world – the Resource Investigator;

– The delegator of tasks – the Coordinator;

– The source of energy & drive – the Shaper;

– The voice of reason – the Monitor Evaluator;

– The planner who gets their hands dirty – the Implementer;

– The glue who keeps everyone happy – the Team Worker;

– The one of ensures all the i’s are dotted & t’s are crossed – the Completer Finisher;

– The Specialist – supplying unique skills.

So, having seen their previous Netflix adventures, who could bring what to the party (if the inevitable city-wide destruction can be called a party)?

Well, they are all Specialists, with unique skills, so that’s 4 big ticks.

Jessica is a detective, so will fill the Resource Investigator role, and incredibly cynical, so can be relied upon to deliver Monitor Evaluating.

Danny (the Iron Fist), rushes into things, so we can certainly say he’s a Shaper.

Luke tends to think things over, so he’s probably an Implementer, and he doesn’t stop until the job is done, so can be relied upon to Completer Finish.

Matt, (Daredevil), a lawyer by profession, has demonstrated plenty of creativity in bringing down foes, so perhaps he’ll be the Plant, and will also join Luke in Implementing and Completer Finishing.

We’ve yet to see any of them in a team setting – will one of them step up to the Coordinator role, or oil the cogs of the team as the Team Worker?  Maybe someone else will take these roles, someone they all know & trust, like Claire Temple, the nurse who has already been thrust into all of their worlds?

We can all find out right now (if we have a Netflix account!)