For our international audience seeking high-impact facilitation services, this article explains the technical and psychological principles of the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP) method, focusing on the pivotal concept of flow. Understanding how flow works, why it matters, and how it is engineered within LSP workshops allows organizations to unlock deep learning, creativity, and collaboration.
The Technical Definition of Flow
The concept of flow, developed by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, refers to the state of optimal engagement, where individuals are completely absorbed in an activity. This state occurs at the intersection of:
High challenge: Tasks are stimulating and stretch participants beyond their current comfort zones.
High skill utilization: Participants feel capable and equipped to tackle the challenge.
Technically, flow requires a balance between perceived difficulty and individual capacity. If the challenge is too easy, participants feel bored; if it’s too hard, they experience anxiety. Both conditions flatten the learning curve. Flow, instead, creates a state where individuals experience:
Focused attention
Clear goals and immediate feedback
Intrinsic motivation to continue
A feeling of control and satisfaction
In LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, achieving flow is the facilitator’s core responsibility, as it enables individuals and teams to unlock their cognitive and emotional potential.
Why Skills Building Ensures Flow
The skills-building phase in LSP workshops is not merely an introduction; it is a technical process designed to activate flow by balancing skill, challenge, and engagement. This phase has clear objectives:
Introduce the Three Basic Phases: Build → Share → Reflect.
Familiarize with the Etiquette:
Respect the models and the stories shared.
No judgment or external interpretations of someone else’s model.
Metaphorical Thinking: Train participants to use LEGO bricks as metaphors for abstract concepts.
Active Reflection and Dialogue: Demonstrate how models stimulate thought, articulate ideas, and act as communication tools.
Without skills building, participants may feel overwhelmed or disconnected from the process, preventing flow from taking hold. The facilitator must pace the workshop deliberately, ensuring participants gain confidence in building and sharing.
The Science of Flow in LSP
Flow occurs when the LSP process fulfills three key technical principles:
Clear and Achievable Challenges
The facilitator assigns tasks with clear instructions and purpose, ensuring they are achievable but stimulating.
Example: “Build a tower with LEGO bricks in 5 minutes.”
This task introduces participants to the method, fostering confidence without overwhelming them.
Instant Feedback and Learning Loops
Participants experience immediate feedback through their models and their interactions with others.
For example, seeing their tower tested for stability highlights both emotional connections and physical outcomes.
Focus on the Process, Not Perfection
Flow emerges when participants are free to experiment without fear of “wrong answers.”
The facilitator reinforces that what matters is the story behind the model, not the aesthetic quality of the build.
Technically, this allows participants to bypass cognitive barriers, such as overthinking or performance anxiety, and engage deeply with the task.
How Facilitators Engineer Flow
The facilitator plays a critical technical role in creating and maintaining flow throughout the workshop. Key techniques include:
Monitoring Engagement
Observing body language, energy levels, and interaction to gauge flow.
Adjusting tasks dynamically to sustain engagement and prevent boredom or anxiety.
Adapting Challenges
Gradually increasing the complexity of tasks as participants gain confidence.
Moving from simple builds (e.g., a tower) to deeper metaphors (e.g., “Build a model that represents your role in the team”).
Managing Time and Process
Flow relies on structured pacing: neither too rushed nor too slow.
The facilitator sets clear timeframes for building and sharing, maintaining a sense of progress.
Focusing on the Models
By continually returning to the models, facilitators redirect focus from individuals to the ideas and stories represented. This keeps the conversation constructive and ensures psychological safety.
The Role of the Skills-Building Sequence
The skills-building process is designed to calibrate flow and prepare participants for the deeper challenges ahead. A typical sequence includes:
Building Confidence (Simple Task)
Example: Build a stable tower in 5 minutes.
Participants gain immediate familiarity with the materials and experience success.
Exploring Emotional Connections
Testing the stability of the towers introduces emotional depth and connection.
Introducing Reflection and Storytelling
Participants share thoughts about their towers, practicing the core phases of Build → Share → Reflect.
The facilitator highlights the importance of listening without judgment and respecting each participant’s story.
This sequence acts as a technical warm-up, laying the foundation for participants to enter flow as the workshop progresses.
Why Flow Makes LSP So Effective
When participants enter flow during an LSP workshop, several transformative outcomes emerge:
Increased Focus: Distractions disappear as participants become immersed in the task.
Creativity Unlocks: Metaphorical thinking enables participants to articulate ideas they may struggle to express verbally.
Enhanced Collaboration: The shared experience of building and storytelling fosters empathy and mutual understanding.
Deep Learning: Flow ensures participants are stretched cognitively and emotionally, maximizing their growth and insight.
The technical design of flow, facilitated through skills building and thoughtful guidance, makes LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® far more than a simple activity: it becomes a structured process for solving complex challenges, fostering innovation, and strengthening team dynamics.
Conclusion: Flow as the Key to Transformative Workshops
For organizations seeking impactful, results-driven workshops, achieving flow is the cornerstone of the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method. The skills-building process, with its structured introduction, clear challenges, and focus on engagement, ensures that participants experience flow from the very start.
This isn’t just play – it’s a scientifically grounded method for unlocking human potential. By balancing challenge, skill, and facilitation, participants move beyond surface-level ideas into deeper reflection, innovation, and shared understanding.
If you’re ready to explore how flow can transform your team’s thinking and collaboration, our expert facilitators are here to guide you through the power of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®.
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