LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) is a powerful, hands-on methodology designed to unlock creativity, encourage deeper reflection, and promote meaningful dialogue. What makes LSP unique is its ability to provide a non-threatening and engaging environment for individuals to express thoughts, emotions, and ideas, especially those that may be difficult to articulate through traditional conversation or written reflection. The playful use of LEGO® bricks helps reduce anxiety, build psychological safety, and support a sense of exploration, making it an ideal tool for both individual and group development.

The LEGO® Serious Play® methodology was developed in the late 1990s by LEGO® Group in collaboration with business professors Johan Roos and Bart Victor. Initially designed as a strategic planning tool for leadership teams, the approach soon evolved into a broader learning and development method, drawing on principles from psychology, systems thinking, and learning theory. It was built on the idea that hands-on, minds-on learning fosters deeper engagement and more effective problem-solving. Today, LSP is used across sectors including education, corporate leadership, healthcare, and public services.

At the heart of LEGO® Serious Play® is the educational theory of constructionism, developed by MIT professor Seymour Papert, a pioneer in learning through making. Constructionism is based on the idea that people learn best when they are actively engaged in constructing something external to themselves, something they can reflect on and share with others. In LSP, participants construct metaphorical models using LEGO® bricks to represent their thoughts, experiences, or identities. These tangible models become objects of reflection, storytelling, and discussion.

This process helps people externalise internal ideas, giving form to abstract or complex thoughts. When someone builds a model that represents a challenge, a strength, or a future goal, they begin to interact with that idea in a new way, seeing connections, tensions, and possibilities they may not have recognised before. The bricks become a projective tool, allowing participants to explore sensitive topics in a safe and depersonalised way.

LEGO® Serious Play® can be adapted for a wide range of purposes. Whether you're looking to foster individual reflection, build stronger team cohesion, manage conflict, generate innovative ideas, or support collaborative decision-making, the method creates space for deep thinking, shared understanding, and creative problem-solving.

Interested in LSP for your training and development needs?

Our sessions can be designed as part of your organisational development offer, whether that is:

• A two-hour workshop for focused reflection or team insights
• A half-day session to explore shared goals, values, or challenges
• A full-day workshop to address strategic planning, group dynamics, or cultural transformation

At Leadership Scholars, we tailor every LEGO® Serious Play® experience to your specific context and outcomes.