This post is about how to use Lego Serious Play for creating solutions and coming up with ideas. There are infinite ways of using it and this post is focusing on this.
Situation:
Your team has chosen a challenge to solve and either come up with ideas simply does not work for them with other methods or they want to try something new like Lego Serious Play (or any other situation:)).
This method works with any team, any industry, and any type of personality.
Also, if you wonder, any seniority level, leadership teams, and board members.
Why is Lego Serious Play working so well as a method for generating ideas?
After facilitating workshops and trainings using this method, I have several reflections that I will share below:
When participants are in a hands-on, minds-on session and they build their answers while thinking with their hands, a psychologically safe environment is built. They are more comfortable sharing deeper thoughts through a playful approach.
The hand-brain connection while doing kinetic movements activates both brain hemispheres which is a trigger for creativity.
The playful way helps the team relax and get into a creative flow. There are no fears or triggers for amygdala hijack to happen.
We all have our own reality and our own perspective is connected to our values, past experiences, etc. Working with different personality types creates a complex environment and 3D models help people see their team path from different perspectives.
Lego Serious Play creates stimulating experiences. Neuroplasticity (the ability of our brain to develop) happens because the mind is active and the creativity flow works then the momentum for change happens. This brings deeper outcomes that are lived during the session but really afterward as well.
How to generate solutions or ideas in simple steps with Lego Serious Play?
🎲 Start small: ask your team to build something small like: “Build a bridge and explain how you are building relationships with other persons” or “Build a model that represents what you love most at your job” questions are infinite here. It is about helping participants to get accommodated by using Lego. Ask them to share in turns what they built.
🎲 The questions are the key to using Lego Serious Play. The better-fitting questions you place, the better results you will have. If you are looking for solutions or ideas then ask the participants to build a model which represents one solution or one idea that comes first in their mind. You can also ask them to create several small models for the same question.
🎲 Sharing is the core. Each participant shares what is built into his model while the other ones are listening. After sharing all the participants can put questions to find out more. Example: “Is there a reason why you placed this brick here?”. Curiosity is at its home. One suggestion is to ask instead of interpreting by yourself. Try not to imagine what a person built but instead listen to sharing and ask open questions about it.
One-phrase summary:
With a playful approach, your team relaxes and enters in the creative flow. 3D models help your team see different perspectives and be curious about what all team members bring in as ideas. Both brain hemispheres are activated through Lego Serious Play which triggers creativity.
If you want deeper outcomes generated with a unique and fun experience then try Lego Serious Play.
If you are curious about the neuroscience of creativity and how to trigger the creativity flow, check out this post.
Stay tuned for more creative ways to engage your team in the next newsletter posts!