10 Mistakes Coaches Make When Using LEGO® Serious Play® (And How to Avoid Them)
LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) is an innovative and engaging tool for coaching, team facilitation, and leadership development. However, even experienced coaches can make common mistakes that undermine the effectiveness of their sessions.
In this article, we’ll highlight the top 10 mistakes coaches make when using LEGO® Serious Play®—plus practical solutions to avoid them.
1. Skipping the Warm-Up Activities
The Mistake:
Many coaches jump straight into deep exercises without allowing participants to get comfortable with LEGO building.
How to Avoid It:
Always start with skill-building exercises, such as building a simple tower or creating a metaphor for success. This helps participants ease into using LEGO as a thinking tool.
2. Not Setting Clear Objectives
The Mistake:
Facilitators sometimes fail to establish a clear purpose for the session, leading to confusion and disengagement.
How to Avoid It:
Before starting, define the session’s primary goal—e.g., team alignment, leadership reflection, or strategic problem-solving—and communicate this clearly.
3. Focusing Too Much on the Bricks, Not the Story
The Mistake:
Some coaches treat LSP as a building exercise rather than a storytelling and meaning-making process.
How to Avoid It:
Encourage participants to describe their models using metaphors and narratives, rather than just explaining what they built.
4. Letting One Person Dominate the Discussion
The Mistake:
Loud voices can overshadow quieter participants, limiting engagement and diverse insights.
How to Avoid It:
Use structured sharing techniques like round-robin storytelling where everyone presents their model before open discussion.
5. Not Managing Time Effectively
The Mistake:
Sessions can run too long or too short, impacting engagement and outcomes.
How to Avoid It:
Use a timer for each exercise, and keep discussions focused and time-boxed to maintain momentum.
6. Failing to Adapt to Different Learning Styles
The Mistake:
Assuming all participants process information the same way.
How to Avoid It:
Mix visual, verbal, and hands-on activities to engage different types of learners effectively.
7. Overcomplicating the Exercises
The Mistake:
Using exercises that are too complex or abstract, making it hard for participants to engage.
How to Avoid It:
Keep prompts clear and simple (e.g., “Build your biggest challenge as a leader” instead of “Represent your leadership journey in an abstract form”).
8. Ignoring Emotional Responses
The Mistake:
Dismissing emotions that arise during storytelling.
How to Avoid It:
Acknowledge and explore emotions through follow-up questions like “What does this model tell you about your current situation?”
9. Not Capturing Insights and Next Steps
The Mistake:
Failing to translate insights into actionable outcomes.
How to Avoid It:
Summarise key takeaways and create an action plan based on the discussions.
10. Using LEGO Serious Play as a One-Time Activity
The Mistake:
Treating LSP as a one-off exercise instead of a continuous coaching tool.
How to Avoid It:
Integrate LEGO® Serious Play® into ongoing coaching sessions, team workshops, and leadership programs.
Avoiding these common mistakes will help you facilitate more engaging, impactful, and transformative LEGO® Serious Play® sessions.
Looking to master LEGO® Serious Play®?
At The Brick Coach, we offer a comprehensive online LEGO® Serious Play® training designed for coaches, facilitators, and team leaders.
