Team Building Using LEGO Serious Play?
LEGO Serious Play is a facilitation technique and methodology that uses LEGO bricks for team building and problem-solving activities. It was developed by the LEGO Group to encourage creative thinking, communication, and collaboration in a business or organizational context. Here’s how it works:
Setting the Stage: A trained facilitator sets up the session, explaining the purpose and rules of the activity. Participants are often asked to build individual models that represent their thoughts, ideas, or feelings about the topic at hand. This can be used to break the ice and get everyone thinking creatively.
Shared Building: Participants are then asked to work together to build a shared model. This could represent a challenge the team is facing or a vision for the future. The shared model encourages collaboration and consensus building.
Storytelling: As participants build their models, they are encouraged to explain the meaning behind their creations. This storytelling phase helps to articulate thoughts and ideas and promotes active listening within the group.
Reflection and Discussion: The group reflects on the various models and shares insights and learning. This phase can help uncover common themes and shared perspectives.
Problem Solving and Decision Making: LEGO Serious Play can be used to address specific challenges or problems. Participants can use the bricks to create models that represent possible solutions, and the group can collectively evaluate and discuss the options.
Building a Shared Vision: The methodology is often used to help teams create a shared vision for the future. By building models that represent their vision and discussing them, teams can align their goals and aspirations.
LEGO Serious Play is effective because it engages both the logical and creative parts of the brain. It promotes active participation and can help teams break down communication barriers. It’s particularly useful in situations where traditional brainstorming or discussion methods might not be as effective.
To use LEGO Serious Play effectively, it’s essential to have a trained facilitator who understands the methodology and can guide the session. The facilitator ensures that the activity remains focused on the objectives and helps participants connect the physical models to their work or challenges.
Overall, LEGO Serious Play can be a fun and innovative way to foster team building, problem-solving, and creative thinking within organizations.
Aim to Build a Team Using LEGO Serious Play?
When aiming to build a team using LEGO Serious Play, you should have specific objectives and a clear plan in mind. Here are the steps to help you achieve this goal:
Define Your Team Building Objectives:
Determine what you want to achieve through team building. Is it improved communication, stronger collaboration, better problem-solving, or all of the above? Be clear about your goals.
Identify the Participants:
Decide who will participate in the LEGO Serious Play session. It can be a department, project team, or a cross-functional group. Ensure that everyone involved understands the purpose and importance of the exercise.
Select a Trained Facilitator:
LEGO Serious Play is most effective when facilitated by someone who has been trained in the methodology. This person should be skilled in guiding the team through the process and ensuring that the objectives are met.
Choose the Right Materials:
Ensure you have an adequate supply of LEGO bricks and materials for all participants. The specific LEGO sets used can vary depending on the size and preferences of the group.
Plan the Session:
Work with the facilitator to plan the session agenda. Consider the time required, the sequence of activities, and the specific exercises that will help you achieve your team-building goals.
Create a Safe and Inclusive Environment:
Emphasize that LEGO Serious Play is a safe space for open communication and creative expression. Encourage all participants to actively engage and share their thoughts and ideas.
Engage in Icebreakers:
Start with icebreaker exercises to help participants get comfortable and build rapport. Simple tasks, like building individual models that represent something about themselves, can be effective.
Explore Team Dynamics:
Use LEGO Serious Play activities to explore team dynamics and identify strengths and areas for improvement. For example, build a shared model that represents the team’s current state and discuss it.
Promote Effective Communication:
Encourage participants to explain the meaning behind their creations and actively listen to others. Storytelling is a critical element of LEGO Serious Play and helps improve communication.
Address Specific Team Challenges:
If there are particular challenges or issues within the team, use LEGO Serious Play to address them. Create models representing the challenges and potential solutions.
Build a Shared Vision and Goals:
Work with the team to create a shared vision for the future and set clear, actionable goals. Use LEGO models to represent this vision and discuss how to achieve it.
Reflect and Summarize:
After the activities, reflect on the session’s outcomes and summarize key takeaways. Discuss how the experience can be applied in the team’s day-to-day work.
Follow Up:
Team building is an ongoing process. Follow up with the team to ensure that the insights and strategies from the LEGO Serious Play session are integrated into their work and relationships.
By following these steps, you can effectively use LEGO Serious Play to build and strengthen your team, improve communication, and address specific challenges while fostering a creative and collaborative environment.
Benefits of Team Building Using LEGO Serious Play?
Team building using LEGO Serious Play offers several benefits, which make it a unique and effective approach for improving teamwork, communication, and problem-solving within organizations. Here are some of the key advantages:
Enhanced Communication: LEGO Serious Play encourages participants to express themselves through building and storytelling. This improves the quality of communication within the team, as it allows individuals to share their thoughts and ideas in a non-threatening, creative manner.
Increased Engagement: Participants often find LEGO Serious Play highly engaging. It taps into their creativity and stimulates active participation, leading to increased enthusiasm and involvement in team-building activities.
Better Collaboration: Working together to create shared models promotes collaboration and consensus-building. Participants learn to appreciate different perspectives and leverage each other’s strengths to achieve a common goal.
Improved Problem-Solving: The methodology is particularly effective for problem-solving. Participants can use LEGO models to represent challenges, explore potential solutions, and identify new approaches to issues the team is facing.
Enhanced Creativity: LEGO Serious Play encourages out-of-the-box thinking and creativity. It can lead to innovative solutions and fresh ideas that may not emerge in more traditional team-building exercises.
Emotional Intelligence: The process of explaining one’s creations and listening to others fosters emotional intelligence. Team members gain a deeper understanding of each other’s perspectives and feelings, which can lead to improved relationships.
Effective Icebreakers: LEGO Serious Play is excellent for breaking the ice and helping team members get to know each other better. Starting with simple building exercises can ease tension and create a more relaxed atmosphere.
Alignment of Goals and Vision: Team building sessions using LEGO Serious Play can help teams create a shared vision for the future and set common goals. This alignment is essential for team success.
Better Retention of Learning: People tend to remember experiences that involve physical activities and storytelling better than traditional presentations or lectures. This can lead to a more lasting impact from the team-building session.
Conflict Resolution: It can be used to address and resolve conflicts within the team. Participants can represent their feelings and perspectives through LEGO models, making it easier to find common ground and solutions.
Inclusivity: LEGO Serious Play is inclusive as it doesn’t rely on verbal communication alone. It allows individuals who may not be as vocal in traditional settings to express themselves and contribute to the team’s discussions.
Fun and Motivation: Team-building activities with LEGO bricks are enjoyable, which can boost team morale and motivation. When people are having fun, they are more likely to be open and willing to participate.
Clearer Understanding: Creating tangible models can help clarify abstract concepts and complex ideas. This can lead to a deeper and more precise understanding of the topics discussed.
Adaptability: LEGO Serious Play can be customized to address specific team challenges or goals, making it a versatile tool for various organizational needs.
It’s important to note that while LEGO Serious Play has numerous benefits, it may not be the right fit for every team or situation. Careful planning, facilitation, and alignment with team objectives are essential to maximize the advantages of this methodology.
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Building a Team Using LEGO Serious Play
Building a team using LEGO Serious Play has its advantages and disadvantages. Understanding both sides can help you make an informed decision about whether this approach is suitable for your team and objectives:
Advantages:
Enhanced Communication: Participants express their thoughts and ideas through building and storytelling, leading to improved communication and a better understanding of one another.
Increased Engagement: LEGO Serious Play is highly engaging and can boost participants’ enthusiasm and involvement in team-building activities.
Effective Icebreakers: It’s excellent for breaking the ice and creating a relaxed atmosphere at the beginning of a team-building session.
Improved Collaboration: Working together to create shared models promotes collaboration, consensus-building, and an appreciation for diverse perspectives.
Enhanced Creativity: The methodology encourages creative thinking and problem-solving, often leading to innovative solutions.
Emotional Intelligence: Sharing and listening to others’ stories and models fosters emotional intelligence, improving team dynamics.
Alignment of Goals and Vision: It helps teams create a shared vision for the future and set common goals, aligning team members toward a common purpose.
Better Problem-Solving: Participants can use LEGO models to represent and address challenges, leading to improved problem-solving capabilities.
Fun and Motivation: LEGO Serious Play sessions are enjoyable and can boost team morale and motivation.
Inclusivity: It allows quieter team members to express themselves and participate in discussions, promoting inclusivity.
Disadvantages:
Cost and Resource Intensive: LEGO sets and a trained facilitator can be costly. Smaller organizations or teams with budget constraints may find this prohibitive.
Time-Consuming: Building models and discussing them can be time-consuming, which may not be ideal for teams with tight schedules.
Facilitator Dependence: The methodology relies heavily on a skilled facilitator. If the facilitator is not well-trained or experienced, the session may not be as effective.
Subjective Interpretation: The meaning of the models is highly subjective and can be open to interpretation. This can sometimes lead to misunderstandings or miscommunication.
Resistance and Skepticism: Some team members may be skeptical about the effectiveness of using LEGO in a professional context and may resist participation.
Not Suitable for All Objectives: LEGO Serious Play is more effective for certain types of team-building goals, such as enhancing communication and collaboration. It may not be as effective for more technical or content-specific training.
Limited Applicability: While it’s versatile, it may not be suitable for all organizations or teams. Some situations may require more traditional training or team-building methods.
Complexity: For complex problem-solving scenarios, the method may not provide the depth required to address certain issues.
Potential for Disruption: Some team members may become overly engrossed in the building process, which can disrupt the flow of the session.
Cultural Sensitivity: The use of LEGO may not align with the culture or expectations of certain organizations or teams.
In conclusion, LEGO Serious Play can be a highly effective and engaging tool for team building, but it’s essential to carefully consider the specific needs and dynamics of your team and your available resources before deciding to use this methodology. Additionally, the success of a LEGO Serious Play session is highly dependent on the facilitator’s skills and the willingness of participants to fully engage in the process.
