Why Teams Struggle to Align - and What Legos Can Teach Us
Does your team struggle to align? Situations like these can surely make work days feel disjointed:
• A new leader steps in
• Departments merge or disappear
• A “bold new vision” is announced yet again
People around you may smile and nod, but intuitively you know something’s off. Is there actual clarity? Is there actual alignment? Are we allowed to say the unsaid?
Words Aren’t Always Enough
During my certification training, I witnessed a leadership team that had just gone through a restructuring. Everyone said they were eager to “get on the same page,” but when asked what that actually looked like, the answers were all over the map. So instead of talking more, they were handed Lego® bricks. Each person built a LEGO® model of what they thought success looked like in their new roles.
Some built towers. Others built bridges. One person built a wall with no doors (!) The bricks made the group’s unspoken tension become visible. That opened the door to the real conversation:
What are we afraid of?
Do we actually know our team members, and will everyone’s voices matter?
What does success really mean to us, and who is defining it? The stockholders? The end-users?
That day, the bricks opened the path for true alignment.
What Is LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®?
It’s definitely not kids play. It’s a powerful facilitation method that helps teams:
Explore ideas visually
Communicate more openly
Uncover insights they didn’t know they had
I combine this method with consulting tools to help teams move from disconnected and unclear to aligned and energized.
What This Blog Will Be About
This blog is a place to explore:
What healthy, high-impact teams actually look like
How to unlock the wisdom that already exists in your team
Why SERIOUS PLAY® is the gateway to better work
Whether you lead a team, support leaders, or are simply passionate about work culture, I hope what you read here inspires you to reimagine how to work better and impact greater.