“You can learn more about a person in an hour of play than you can from a lifetime of conversation” Plato
The effectiveness of your communication can have many different effects in your life. Some of these are managing your level of stress, improving your relationship with others and the ability to solve problems with others. Becoming a good communicator goes beyond just conversing with others. There are verbal and non-verbal cues that you have to be mindful of in order to emotionally connect with others. Too many times in teams and organizations, communication breakdown occurs owing to clashes of ego, biases of opinion and lack of mindfulness. The good news is that you can enhance communication and collaboration by engaging in tactile skills that stimulates interest in others. It is not just about hearing or listening, it is also what you see and do in communication that counts as well. The key to dynamic communication is giving attention to what others say and what you are saying to others. A candid way to achieve this is to enhance your communication and collaboration skills using Lego® Seriousplay™ [LSP]. Engaging in LSP gives you the opportunity to help keep your attention focus when you are communicating. With LSP you can essentially assist in levelling up relationships within teams and organizations as it allows you to:
- Discover new things about yourself and that of your team
- Build empathy among team members to rapidly build consensus
- Gain a better understanding of the bigger picture
- Tackle challenging situations and conflicts head-on
- Engage collaboratively to work on shared goals and values
Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be able to:
1. Understand the neuroscience of communication
2. Know why communication breakdown
3. Appreciate the relevance of dynamic communication to collaboration
4. How LSP helps in creating flow in communication
5. Apply LSP to build collaboration
6. Build LEGO model to demonstrate empathy in communication
7. Create value and action through communication using LSP
8. Engage stakeholders effectively
9. Develop shared vision through effective communication
Outline
I. Introduction
• Welcome and introductions.
• Overview of the workshop objectives and agenda
• Icebreaker activity to get participants familiar with the LSP method
II. Exploring the Challenge
• Presentation of the challenge or problem to be addressed
• Building individual models to represent the participant’s perspective on the challenge.
• Sharing and discussing the individual models in small groups
III. Building a Shared Understanding (2 hours)
• Creating a shared model that incorporates everyone’s ideas and perspectives
• Sharing and discussing the shared model in the larger group
• Reflecting on the insights gained from the shared model
IV. Developing Solutions
• Brainstorming potential solutions to the challenge
• Building models to represent the potential solutions
• Discussing and evaluating the potential solutions in small groups
V. Selecting and Implementing Solutions
• Identifying the most promising solutions based on the group discussion and evaluation
• Building models to represent the selected solutions.
• Creating an action plan for implementing the solutions
VI. Conclusion
• Reflection on the workshop experience and key takeaways
• Closing remarks and next steps
Methodology
The methodology involves the use of specially designed LEGO® bricks and figurines to facilitate conversation and creativity. Here are the steps involved in this methodology:
Setting the Stage: The first step is to define the problem or challenge that the team will be working on. This step involves setting the context and creating a safe space for team members to share their thoughts and ideas.
Building Individual Models: The second step is to have each team member build their own LEGO® model that represents their perspective on the problem or challenge. This step allows team members to express their individual thoughts and ideas in a visual and tactile way.
Sharing and Reflection: The third step is for each team member to share their model with the rest of the team. This step allows team members to listen to each other’s perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of the problem or challenge.
Building Collective Models: The fourth step is to have the team work together to build a collective model that represents the team’s shared understanding of the problem or challenge. This step allows the team to collaborate and come up with a shared vision for how to address the problem or challenge.
Action Planning: The final step is to use the insights gained from the previous steps to develop an action plan for addressing the problem or challenge. This step involves identifying specific actions that the team can take to achieve their shared vision.
The LSP methodology is effective because it allows team members to express their thoughts and ideas in a non-threatening way. The use of LEGO® bricks and figurines also helps to stimulate creativity and imagination, which can lead to innovative solutions to complex problems. Additionally, the methodology promotes collaboration and active listening, which are essential skills for effective teamwork.
Who should attend?
The Dynamic Communication and Collaboration methodology with LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY™ (LSP) can be beneficial for any team or group of individuals who are looking to enhance their communication and collaboration skills. The methodology can be used in a variety of contexts, such as business, education, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.
Specifically, this methodology can be helpful for:
Teams that are struggling with communication and collaboration issues, such as misaligned goals or lack of trust.
Teams that are facing complex challenges that require creative problem-solving.
Teams that want to improve their decision-making processes.
Teams that want to enhance their innovation and creativity.
Organizations that want to promote a culture of collaboration and teamwork.
Individuals who want to improve their communication and collaboration skills.
Overall, the LSP methodology is designed to be inclusive and can benefit anyone who is looking to enhance their communication and collaboration skills.