A few important things about LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® before we start…

Photo by Praveesh Palakeel on Unsplash

LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® is a pretty unique thing, and works a bit differently to other workshops you may have attended. There are a few key things that the organiser and the people attending must know before they come, otherwise people may be a bit miffed on the day, or the workshop just won’t work. These things are not flexible and may seem harsh but they are what makes LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® work. What they do mean is that you have the basis of a workshop where everyone is able to give 100%.

1. No more than twelve participants. During the workshop, the facilitator will set a challenge as a question to which everyone builds their answer as a model. They then share their answer, and everyone listens and is able to ask questions about the model. This takes time, and more than twelve people just takes too long.
2. Everyone must be present for the duration. The workshop starts with exercises to make sure everyone is comfortable with the methodology, then moves on to a series of challenges that build on the previous challenge toward an objective. Everybody needs to be present for all of this. Nobody can arrive late because they will have missed a formative part of the workshop, and likewise, people cannot drop out for a period and then return. This is particularly important if the participants are a team. 
3. No use of laptops, mobile phones or tablets during the workshop. LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® requires all of your attention to think, talk and listen, which is why is it works. So laptops, phone and tablets should all be put away during the workshop. Participants can catchup during breaks but it is recommended that everyone puts their out-of-office notification on, and focuses on the workshop.

I’ve been running workshops in many formats since 2008, and I know that the ever increasing demands on our time combined with smartphones and remote working mean that it can be hard to commit to one thing and give it all of your attention for a day without interruption. But this is why LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® works. Everyone gets to think and speak equally, and has the attention of everyone in the room. When you have these things, you’ll be surprised what can be achieved.