In an era where polarization is often our default mode and fear masquerades as conviction, genuine communication becomes increasingly difficult . When opinions harden and complex realities are oversimplified, balanced voices . LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP) offers a way to bring people together again as human beings, and not just as carriers of opinions .
When fear stifles dialogue
The starting point for this project was a community of around 2,500 people suffering from severe tensions due to geopolitical developments and differing lifestyles . Many felt insecure in an increasingly noisy world and retreated into defending their own positions, as insecurity often turns rigidity .
Together with the community leaders, we developed an evening where 80 participants – despite their skepticism or anger – came together to listen to each other and ask questions.
The method: Thinking with your hands
slows people . Building with your hands creates a necessary pause between thought and word. A space for reflection before a reaction occurs . During the workshop, the participants worked on four key questions:
- How do we want communication in our community?
- How do we navigate through complex realities ?
- How do we treat each other despite different ways of thinking and living?
- What do we truly value about our community?
What we can learn from the “difficult” tables
Not every table immediately found a harmonious solution, but it was precisely these moments that provided valuable insights into our current communication culture:
- Deep-seated defense mechanisms: At a table, participants were unable to let go of their personal agendas; values-based communication dissolved into familiar debate patterns . This demonstrates how deeply defensive behavior is rooted within us .
- Disengagement from reflection: Another group struggled with the methodology itself, finding it difficult to access metaphorical thinking . This illustrates how unfamiliar genuine spaces for reflection have become in a fast-paced world .
- Data instead of failure: These difficulties were not failures, but important data that showed where the blockages in the community lie .
Ambiguity tolerance as a new core competency
A key takeaway of the evening was the importance of ambiguity tolerance . In a world where ambiguity is often perceived as unbearable, we tend to simplify complex truths .
True change, however, requires a cultural shift : we must learn ambiguity as wisdom rather than weakness . The stones gave the participants permission to be vulnerable and, in a world that demands constant certainty, to say "I am unsure" without exposing themselves .
Conclusion: People first, opinions second
The workshop was a start, not a ready-made solution for 2,500 people . However, it showed that we can build bridges through curiosity rather than judgment . LSP provides the structure to first encounter one another as human beings – in a world driven by fear, this is perhaps the most radical act of all .
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Would you like to learn more about how we, together with Pin-Point Consulting GmbH and LSP, can build bridges within your team or organization? Contact me at nadine@pin-point.ch .
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