Personality Characteristics: Stable, dominant, extrovert.

CO-ORDINATORS may not always be team leaders; nevertheless, it is team leadership for which they are best fitted. They are the ones who preside over the team and co-ordinate its efforts to meet external goals and targets.

They are distinguished by a preoccupation with objectives. You would expect them to be at least normally intelligent, but not in any sense brilliant, and not outstandingly creative thinkers; it is rare for any of the good ideas to originate from them. They are much more remarkable for what used to be called "character". Their approach is disciplined, and founded on self-discipline. They often have what is called "charisma", amounting to authority. They are dominant, but in a relaxed way - they are not domineering. They have an instinctive trust in people unless there is strong evidence that someone is untrustworthy, and they are singularly free from jealousy. Mature and confident, they delegate readily.

They see most clearly which member of the team is strong or weak in each area and focus people on what they do best. They are conscious of the need to use the team's combined human resources as effectively as possible. This means that they establish the roles and work boundaries of others and also the ones who see gaps and take steps to fill them. They perform better in dealing with colleagues of near or equal rank than in directing junior subordinates.

They are good communicators; neither "people of few words" nor compulsive talkers; they talk easily and listen well. The CO-ORDINATORS clarify group objectives and set agendas; they select the problems for the teams consideration and establish priorities, but do not attempt to dominate the discussions. Their early contributions are more likely to take the form of questions than assertions or proposals. They listen, sum up group feelings and articulate group verdicts, and if a decision has to be taken they take it firmly after everyone has had their say.