What is Lego Serious Play?

Have you ever imagined using those colourful plastic bricks from your childhood to solve complex business problems? Welcome to the world of Lego Serious Play team
building, a powerful activity that’s transforming how teams collaborate, innovate, and tackle challenges in the workplace.

The Lego Serious Play method is an innovative, hands-on approach to problem- solving and team building that uses Lego bricks as a medium for expression and exploration. It goes beyond traditional brainstorming sessions, allowing participants
to build physical representations of their ideas, challenges, and solutions.

How Did Lego Serious Play Start?

Lego Serious Play emerged in the mid-1990s as an innovative business method. It was developed by Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, the former CEO of the Lego Group, in collaboration with professors Johan Roos and Bart Victor from IMD Business School in Switzerland.

The concept was born out of Kristiansen’s desire to find more engaging and creative ways to develop business strategies. LSP leverages the power of constructionism, a learning theory that posits that people learn best by building physical models of their
understanding.

Initially used internally at Lego, the method gained traction and was officially launched as a consulting tool in 2002. Lego for serious play has since been adopted by various organisations worldwide.

The Power Of Serious Lego Play In Professional Settings

You might be wondering, how can playing with Lego bricks benefit my organisation? Let’s explore the key advantages:

1. Connecting Your Team

Using Serious Lego Play in the workplace creates a unique environment where
everyone’s voice is heard. In today’s diverse workplaces, finding ways to engage everyone equally can be challenging. Team building with Lego breaks down barriers and
creates a level playing field.

Here’s how:
• Inclusive Environment: Whether you’re an introvert who prefers quiet reflection or an extrovert who thrives on interaction, Lego team building activities provide a space for all voices to be heard.
• Psychological Safety: The playful nature of Lego creates a safe space for sharing ideas without fear of judgment. (Our Psychological Safety training workshops can help you explore this aspect of team work more deeply)
• Meaningful Conversations: Through storytelling and model-building, teams engage in active listening and deep discussions that might not occur in traditional meeting settings.

2. Unlocking Creativity

Research shows that hands-on processes like lego serious play activate parts of the brain associated with creativity and innovative thinking. By using metaphors and
visual aids, participants can be encouraged to:

• Access Fresh Ideas: Research shows that engaging our hands activates different
parts of our brain, leading to new perspectives.
• Explore Complex Concepts: By representing complex ideas through Lego models, participants can explore concepts in fresh, innovative and tangible ways.
• Overcome Negative Mindsets: The tactile nature of Lego play helps to get past mental blocks and encourages out-of-the-box thinking.

3. Finding New Perspectives and Solutions

By using Lego for serious play and visualising problems and strategic scenarios with Lego bricks, teams are inspired to explore issues from multiple angles. This approach fosters:

• Visualisation: By building 3D models of business problems, teams can literally see
complex issues from all angles, making them easier to understand and address.
• Experimentation: Lego models allow for quick prototyping and testing of ideas
without significant investment.
• Holistic Approach: LSP encourages considering all aspects of a problem, leading to more comprehensive solutions with regards to problem solving.

How Lego Serious Play Activities Can Transform Your Company

Implementing Lego Serious Play activities in your organisation can lead to remarkable outcomes:

• Promote Inclusive Participation: Give everyone time to think before sharing,
  ensuring all voices are heard.
• Foster Collaboration: Build shared knowledge, shared perspectives and improve team dynamics.
• Eliminate Personal Politics: Focus on the message, not the messenger, allowing for frank discussions.
• Energise Your Team: Experience the joy of creative problem solving and watch team morale soar.
• Deliver New Creative Solutions: Witness new perspectives and solutions being discussed and brought to the table to help the business succeed.

Imagine transforming boardroom discussions into dynamic, hands-on experiences. That’s the power of Lego Serious Play. It’s a colourful and yet powerful method that HR managers, L&D professionals and Team Managers can embrace to break down communication barriers and build stronger teams.

By engaging both hands and minds, Lego team building workshops can unlock hidden potential and drive meaningful outcomes. So much so, that the method was covered in an article in the Financial Times entitled “How making Lego models helps build better leaders”.

Why Choose Make Happy for Your Lego Serious Play Workshops?

At Make Happy, we specialise in fostering creativity, innovation, and resilience within teams and organisations. Our approach to Lego Serious Play workshops is unique:

• Certified Expertise: We have certified Lego Serious Play facilitators, proficient in the Lego Serious Play method. We even offer training for LSP facilitators.

• Tailored Sessions: We design each workshop to meet your specific objectives and bring out the best in your team.

• Global Experience: We’ve run workshops worldwide, serving clients from global brands to local charities.

• Complementary Techniques: We integrate Lego Serious Play with other creative problem-solving methods like Design Thinking.

Ready To Build Your Team’s Success With Lego Serious Play?

Lego Serious Play is more than just a fun activity – it’s a powerful tool for unlocking your team’s potential.

Whether you’re looking to improve communication, boost creativity, or solve business challenges, this innovative approach can help you achieve your goals.

Are you ready to take your team’s collaboration and problem-solving skills to the next level? Contact Make Happy today to learn how we can tailor Lego Serious Play training for your organisation.

Click here to request our Make Happy Lego Serious Play brochure. Let’s build something amazing together!