How playful methods bring teams together – and why your next retreat can be more colorful, including with Lego bricks.
The challenge
Generation Z desires flexibility and short decision-making processes. Baby Boomers demand commitment and clear responsibilities. Millennials are in between – and Generation Alpha is just around the corner.
We talk to each other, we work together, but do we really understand each other? The problem runs deeper than just different communication styles. It's rooted in fundamentally different socializations: some grew up with face-to-face conversations and binding phone calls, others with messaging apps, emojis, and fragmented communication.
The result: misunderstandings, unspoken irritations and a gradual loss of trust – even in constructive teams.
Why traditional team building falls short
Neither the tenth PowerPoint presentation nor the fifth outdoor adventure will solve the core problem: a lack of mutual understanding. Teams where different generations from different social backgrounds work together need methods that engage more senses and create a common language.
Trust rarely arises spontaneously, especially when personal frames of reference are far apart. The art lies in creating a space where differences are visible but not divisive.
Three effective approaches to genuine understanding
1. Visualize – Make complexity visible
Even simple lines can clarify complex relationships. Those who draw must separate the essential from the non-essential – and thereby create clarity for everyone.
2. LEGO® Serious Play® – Making thoughts comprehensible
Each person builds a model of their perspective. This multisensory approach activates additional brain areas and makes abstract ideas spatially comprehensible. The result: Even silent voices are heard because everyone contributes something visible.
3. Scenic improvisations – making dynamics tangible
Short role-playing scenarios bring topics to life and reveal dynamics that remain hidden in traditional meetings. The shared experience fosters a strong sense of "we."
What playful methods can achieve
They democratize dialogue: Whether CEO or intern – everyone builds, everyone tells their story. Hierarchies recede, perspectives take center stage.
They create constructive friction: If someone builds an open window to describe good leadership, and someone else a fortress with a drawbridge – then it becomes clear that worlds are colliding here. But in a constructive way.
They give everyone a voice: Suddenly you also understand the colleagues you previously considered "difficult".
Our conclusion
Generation Z, Baby Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Alpha all bring valuable perspectives. But this diversity only unfolds its full potential when teams truly understand each other – not just talk to each other.
Analog, visual and haptic methods offer an effective key: They create spaces in which understanding is not prescribed, but experienced.
Ready for a retreat with more color? At Pin-Point, we support you in creating spaces where your team thinks differently, speaks more clearly, and works more creatively – across hierarchies and generations – using methods such as LEGO® Serious Play®, Design Thinking, and systemic consulting.
This article is based on an article by Nadine Oppenheim in Miss Moneypenny (issue 5/2025).