ADULTS PLAYING WITH LEGO? ARE YOU SERIOUS?

Ange Anderson

Play is the highest form of research –Albert Einstein

Just put some small bowls of LEGO in the staffroom and see what happens.

WHAT IS LEGO? SERIOUS PLAY? ?

The methodology of LEGO –SERIOUS PLAY is a radical, innovative, experiential process designed to support the professional development of staff and health and wellbeing in the workplace.. It is based on the belief that everyone can contribute to the discussion, the decisions and the outcome.

You are able to purchase ready made kits to use in your workplace for training days and you are also able to hire a facilitator who will support the training. LEGO?  sell SERIOUS PLAY? Kits for workshops of 3 – 5 hours and even longer . They usually support a group of 10 - 12 workshop participants.

The kits include: Large special mix of LEGO bricks combined with DUPLO elements including animals; Extensive selection of special elements such as wheels, tires, windows, trees, mini-figure parts, sticks, globes, spiral tubes, ladders, and fences; Large selection of base plates ; plastic sorting trays. Workshop participants can also build large models as part of a strategic planning or organizational development workshop.

The LEGO elements work as a catalyst – and when used for building metaphors, such as ‘building your ideal colleague’ ‘your ideal home’ ‘ your organisation’ they trigger processes that you probably were previously unaware of. Each person begins by building their own model and then everyone shares the story of their model so that there is 100% participation.

The methodology taps into the human ability to imagine – to make sense of the issue at hand, to initiate change and improvement, and even to create something radically new.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

Individuals gain most from a learning process when they enjoy that process.

70-80% of our brains have nerve endings which are connected to our hands. When we use our hands to build LEGO models 80% of our brains are activated. There is more neural activity and better distributed blood flow to critical areas of the brain.

As a school we have followed some of the guidelines using the LEGO CREATOR kits and therefore call it SERIOUS PLAY with LEGO .We also use some of the elements of LEGO based THERAPY.

LEGO based THERAPY methodology encourages the therapeutic play element whilst encouraging participants to develop social communication skills when constructing a build in partnership with others. (see Linkedin article https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/lego-based-therapy-children-autism-ange-anderson/)

SERIOUS PLAY with LEGO unlocks the potential of all the participants during the workshop. It is especially beneficial to schools for training days. It is an ideal methodology for a new school’s first training day.

WHY?

At its core, it is about solving complex issues by building models using LEGO bricks. It serves as the basis for group discussion, team building, knowledge sharing and problem solving. It helps people think outside the box without being in a stressful situation and it  fosters creative and innovative thinking.

Organizations, whether private or public, may want to unlock the full potential of their employees, develop leadership skills and encourage everyone to participate, contribute and commit to a shared vision whilst developing constructive discussions where everyone is heard.

The model is the answer to the challenge but key to its success is not in the model that has been built but in the experience of creating the model.

How it aids staff relationships (health & wellbeing)

·        Everyone involved participates in the discussions regarding the build  and contributes with his or her knowledge and opinions

·          Participants feel able to share their views  without intimidating anyone or being intimidated

·          There is no right or wrong way to build the construction

·          You can assign roles ,as in LEGO based therapy BUT you don’t have to

·          You get to deal with attachment issues when the construction is disassembled (or when it breaks).

·          SERIOUS PLAY with LEGO is a useful learning strategy when a few members tend to dominate the discussions as it helps  to break that routine without offending anyone

·              It is useful when staff feel conferences  tend to be a waste of time and yet they go away having developed relationships with other staff members through working together

·              It creates a level playing field for discussion

·               It helps foster initiative among staff

·               Participants should leave feeling they were heard and involved in the decisions

·               The process deepens understanding, sharpens insight, and socially “bonds” together the group as it “plays” together.

·                 It allows a free and honest exchange of opinion. The physical and tangible construction allows you to have conversations which flow without the fear of treading on personal feelings.

·                 You will be able to see things through the eyes of others involved in the build – and have them view the picture through yours.

·                 Workshop participants, particularly if they are from the same workforce often leave with skills to communicate with each other more effectively, to engage their imagination more readily, and to approach their work with increased confidence, commitment and insight. 

‘We don’t stop playing because we grow old . We grow old because we stop playing ‘ George Bernard Shaw.