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 bearers 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 rigidity turns.
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
people slows. 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 from 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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