Unlocking Creativity with LEGO® Serious Play®
What is LEGO® Serious Play®? Why does it work? What are the applications for LEGO® Serious Play®? And how do you get started with it?
All your questions are answered in this extensive guide!
Strategic management and self-reflection are two concepts that anyone in a leadership position will recognise as critical tools for development and growth.
Traditional methods often involve lengthy reports, PowerPoint presentations, and laborious organisational charts. But, what if real breakthroughs could be made in a way that's more... playful?
Enter LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP), a powerful facilitation methodology used by some of the world's biggest organisations since the Mid 90s.
It's not child's play; it's an innovative way for professionals to tackle complex issues methodically and creatively. In this comprehensive guide, we'll break down what LEGO® Serious Play® is, why it works, and how you can leverage it to supercharge your team's creativity and strategic thinking.
Understanding LEGO® Serious Play®
Building blocks of LSP
LEGO® Serious Play® is, quite literally, about building – not castles or Death Stars, but real structures that embody participants' thoughts and ideas.
The LSP approach believes that everyone can contribute to the discussion, and building models with simple LEGO® bricks acts as an inclusive tool for all participants to share their stories, explore their relationships to others in the team, and express their ambitions and fears.
Engaging creativity with every brick: the principles of LSP
The methodology is based on a series of guiding principles:
Hand and Mind: The physical act of building promotes a deeper thinking process.
Identity and Play: Play is a valuable tool for learning and creativity. By making their models, participants get to the core of what they believe, what they know, and what they want to create.
Imagination and Inclusivity: It levels the playing field, allowing introverts and extroverts to communicate effectively and without prejudice. It also enables a more diverse group of individuals to contribute and be heard.
Storytelling and Meaning: The models themselves are not as important as the stories created around them. They become a medium for sharing personal experiences, ideas, and feelings.
All of these principles come together to create an environment that encourages deep thinking, active listening, and meaningful dialogue – essential ingredients for any successful team.
2. The various strategic applications of LEGO® Serious Play®
LSP in Coaching
LSP offers a unique approach to coaching, particularly beneficial for neurodivergent thinkers, such as individuals with ADHD or those on the autism spectrum. It’s also incredibly powerful for folks struggling with mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.
By leveraging the hands-on aspect of building models, LSP allows these individuals to express their thoughts and ideas more clearly. This method not only enhances their ability to communicate but also fosters creativity and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, in coaching situations, LSP can be instrumental in helping coachees visualize goals, recognize obstacles, and devise strategies to overcome them.
LSP in Facilitation
In the realm of facilitation, LSP proves to be a powerful tool for addressing a variety of organizational needs. It enables discussions on cultural transformation by employing metaphors and storytelling, thus facilitating a deeper understanding of cultural norms, challenges, and the alignment around shared visions and values.
For change management, LSP aids in visualizing the present state, exploring future possibilities, and pinpointing actionable steps for progression. Additionally, it enhances communication and conflict resolution by allowing participants to construct models that represent their viewpoints, fostering empathy and collaboration among team members.
Through its ability to materialize abstract concepts into tangible models, LSP ensures that each participant's voice is heard and considered, making it an invaluable tool in facilitating discussions and driving consensus in group settings.
Regardless of whether you use LEGO® Serious Play® in your coaching or facilitation sessions, the method is proven to have a wide range of benefits and applications:
Problem-solving: By allowing participants to physically manipulate the problem at hand, LSP enables them to see it from different perspectives and come up with creative solutions.
Team building: LSP encourages the sharing of personal stories and experiences, which promotes empathy, understanding, and a sense of connectedness within the team. It also fosters collaboration and co-creation.
Innovation and idea generation: The hands-on nature of LSP allows for free-flowing ideas and rapid prototyping. It can be used in brainstorming sessions to generate new and innovative ideas, as well as to refine existing ones.
Strategy development: LSP can be used to explore different scenarios and potential outcomes, helping teams develop a cohesive strategy that takes into account diverse perspectives and points of view.
Cultural transformation: Through the use of metaphors and storytelling, LSP can facilitate discussions around cultural norms, challenges, and opportunities within an organization. It can also help teams align around a common vision and values.
Change management: LSP can be used to navigate change by allowing participants to physically build the current state, explore potential future states, and identify actionable steps for moving forward.
Communication and conflict resolution: LSP can be an effective tool for improving communication and resolving conflicts within a team or organization. By building models and sharing personal stories, team members can gain a better understanding of each other's perspectives and work towards finding common ground.
Crucially, LSP moves away from abstract talking, encouraging all participants to externalise their thoughts in the form of models.
These can represent a myriad of concepts - from tangible issues in a company to the crafters' own tower of beliefs. The process ensures that everyone is heard, every viewpoint laid out on the table.
3. Why LEGO® Serious Play® Works
Dismantling Barriers to Participation
In a typical business setting, people sometimes hold back on their best ideas for fear of sounding silly or judgment. LEGO® bricks provide a tangible medium to express ideas without fear of these traditional barriers. This gives everyone a chance to contribute equally and without judgment, leading to more diverse and innovative solutions.
Enhancing Communication and Problem-Solving
The tactile, kinesthetic learning afforded by LSP can lead to increased engagement and retention of information. The 3D models help storytellers communicate complex scenarios and multi-layered concepts that may be difficult to verbalise.
Teambuilding and Collaboration
LSP acts as a powerful tool for inclusivity, allowing every participant, regardless of their personality or position, to contribute equally. It levels the playing field and encourages diverse input, fostering deeper team bonds and innovative collaboration.
Freedom to tell stories
The use of LEGO® bricks as a storytelling medium allows individuals to tap into their imagination and express themselves freely. This freedom leads to more open and honest discussions, as well as the exploration of new ideas and perspectives.
Putting distance between the person and the concept
Using LEGO® bricks as a representation of concepts and ideas creates distance between the person and their thoughts. This allows for more objective discussions, without individuals feeling personally attacked or defensive about their ideas.
Creating a shared language and understanding
By engaging in the building process together, participants create a shared language and understanding of complex topics. The physical models act as tangible representations that can be easily referenced and discussed, increasing clarity and effective communication.
4. How to apply LEGO® Serious Play® in your own sessions
Gathering your tools for play
Initiating an LSP session requires only LEGO® bricks and a group ready to engage. Suitable for team leaders, HR or L&D professionals, facilitators, or coaches, the essence of LSP lies in its simplicity and adaptability. Don't want to spend a lot of money on specialist kit? Grab whatever bricks you can find! Remember, LSP is all about storytelling and metaphors, so what bricks you use is kind of irrelevant.
Pathways to Insight and Integration
The LSP process is structured around three critical stages:
Individual Models: Participants first construct their own LEGO® models in response to prompts. These models serve as tangible representations of personal insights, ideas, or solutions, which are then shared with the group.
Shared Models: Discussion and collaborative reflection lead to the integration of individual models into a coherent, shared model. This stage facilitates the uncovering of group synergies, revealing patterns and themes.
System Models: The culmination of the process results in the development of a complex system model that embodies the group's collective vision, purpose, and strategy, illustrating the dynamic interactions and dependencies within the system.
In a world of traditional slide presentations and boardroom whiteboard discussions, using LEGO® bricks as the centerpiece of a corporate strategy meeting may seem disruptive - and it is. It disrupts old ways of thinking and doing to make room for fresh, innovative ideas.
5. Tips for Effectively using LEGO Serious Play
Preparation is Key
Before engaging in the LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) method, it's essential to understand the goals and objectives of your session. Have a clear agenda and set of prompts or questions that will guide participants through the process. Organizing the physical space and ensuring there are enough LEGO® bricks and elements for all participants can also streamline the experience and foster creativity.
Create a Safe Space
It's crucial that participants feel their ideas are valued and respected, no matter how abstract or unconventional their models may seem. Create an environment that feels inclusive, open, and non-judgmental. Allow for ample time to fully explore each model and encourage participants to share their insights and ideas.
Embrace Diversity
The beauty of LSP is that it allows for diverse perspectives and ways of thinking to be expressed visually. Encourage participants from different backgrounds, experiences, and expertise levels to participate. This will enrich the discussion and generate a broad range of ideas and solutions.
Encourage Storytelling
LEGO® bricks have a unique ability to bring stories to life. Encourage participants to incorporate storytelling into their models, using metaphor and symbolism to convey deeper meanings and connections. This can help bridge gaps in understanding and provide valuable insights into group dynamics
Set Clear Ground Rules
Establish what the objectives of the LEGO® Serious Play® session are, and maintain order while encouraging creativity and exploration. This includes setting time limits, outlining the rules for building and sharing models, and establishing guidelines for respectful communication.
Facilitate Active Listening
As a facilitator or a coach, it's essential to listen actively to participants' ideas and validate their contributions. Encourage others in the group to do the same by asking for clarification or further explanation from the model builder. This promotes a feeling of safety and allows participants to feel more confident in expressing complex ideas or feelings.
Provide Time for Reflection
Balancing building, storytelling, and reflection is key to a successful LSP session. Allow ample time at each stage for participants to absorb ideas and respond.
Interested in learning how to incorporate LSP in your own 1:1, group & team sessions? Join our next public cohort.
