What the Duck?! The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Exercise Everyone Remembers

What if you could turn six LEGO® bricks into over 6,000 unique creations? That’s what the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Duck Exercise is all about. It’s a quick, hands-on activity that sparks creativity, improves communication, and highlights problem-solving skills.

Here’s why it works:

• Endless possibilities: Over 6,000 ways to build a duck with just six bricks.
• Boosts teamwork: Encourages sharing ideas and understanding different perspectives.
• Develops leadership: Helps with strategic thinking, active listening, and decision-making.

How it works:

1. Each participant gets six LEGO® bricks.
2. Build a duck in 60 seconds.
3. Share your design and thought process with the group.

This simple exercise is a fun way to explore creativity, learn about teamwork, and discover leadership skills - all while building a tiny duck.

How to Run the LEGO® Duck Exercise

What You’ll Need and How to Set Up the Room

Getting everything ready beforehand is key. Each participant will need six LEGO® bricks. These can come from the LEGO® Education Serious Play Duck polybag (2000416) or the LEGO® Yellow Chick polybag (30451).

Set up the room to encourage focus and creativity:

• Spacious Tables: Keep tables at least 3 metres apart to avoid overcrowding.
• Clean and Organised: Ensure surfaces and materials are sanitised.
• Good Lighting: Make sure the room is well-lit so participants can see clearly.
• Proper Ventilation: Fresh air helps maintain energy levels during the session.
• Facilitator’s Table: Position your table at the front for easy access to materials and to lead the session effectively.

For distributing materials, prepare individual sealed bags containing:

• Six LEGO® bricks per person
• A marker and pen
• Post-it Notes for participants to jot down reflections

Once the room is set and materials are handed out, you’re ready to begin.

Step-by-Step Guide to Running the Exercise

1. Kick Things Off
   Start with a short introduction. Explain the task: participants must build a duck using only six LEGO® bricks. Keep the tone lively and energised to set the mood.
2. Building the Ducks
   Set a timer for 60 seconds. This time limit encourages quick thinking and spontaneous creativity.
3. Show and Tell
   After the time is up, ask participants to share their ducks. Encourage them to talk about their design choices and thought processes. Highlight the different approaches people took to the same task.

This flow keeps the session engaging and ensures everyone gets a chance to participate.

Suggested Timing for the Session

If you’re running this exercise virtually, send out materials ahead of time. Use a video conferencing platform where participants can easily show their creations on camera.

The Science Behind the Exercise

Brain Response to Physical Tasks

Engaging with the bricks activates up to 80% of brain cells, stimulating both hemispheres of the brain at the same time. This hands-on approach strengthens neural connections, making it easier to retain information. Studies reveal that children who learn through tactile methods can remember 40% more effectively. This heightened brain activity lays the groundwork for the diverse problem-solving strategies that emerge later.

"The hands are the instruments of man's intelligence." – Dr. Maria Montessori

Different Thinking Patterns

This exercise highlights the variety of ways people think. Some participants lean heavily on visual processing to understand shapes and spatial relationships, while others take a more systematic or intuitive approach when constructing their models. This range of cognitive styles showcases the creative possibilities of the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method. In fact, an IBM global CEO study found that 60% of CEOs believe creativity is the most vital leadership skill for the future. These differing thought processes contribute to stronger team dynamics and richer collaboration.

Team Psychology

Beyond individual creativity, the activity nurtures a team environment where open communication and mutual learning thrive. By building and sharing their LEGO® models, participants engage in conversations that lower defensiveness and encourage constructive feedback. The shared focus on physical models creates a sense of psychological safety, making it easier for team members to exchange ideas openly.

This method has proven especially effective in organisations like PwC Luxembourg. Annabelle Buffart, Transformation Manager, noted that teams "unlock new perspectives and collaborate in ways they never thought possible". Additionally, the exercise often leads participants into a state of deep focus, similar to the "flow state", which enhances concentration and promotes meaningful learning experiences.

Leading the Discussion

Discussion Questions

Dive deeper into understanding by posing focused questions. The ORID framework offers a structured way to guide your discussion.

Start with objective questions to establish the facts:

• How did you approach building your duck?
• Which pieces did you choose to start with?
• Did you encounter any specific challenges along the way?

Move on to reflective questions to explore emotional responses:

• What was your first reaction to the task?
• Were you surprised by any of the other designs?
• At what point did you feel frustration or a breakthrough?

Finally, steer the conversation towards practical applications:

• How does this task reflect challenges you face at work?
• What did you discover about your own problem-solving style?
• How might these lessons help improve collaboration within your team?

These questions naturally lead participants to uncover the leadership insights embedded in the activity.

Leadership Lessons

Building a duck may seem simple, but it reflects real-world leadership challenges. Use participants’ experiences to highlight actionable leadership skills, with an emphasis on creating an environment of psychological safety - a cornerstone of open and honest communication.

Here are some key takeaways:

• Resource Management
  Discuss how participants managed limited resources, drawing parallels to budgeting or managing team capabilities.
• Creativity Under Constraints
  Highlight how working within restrictions fosters creative problem-solving, a skill vital in many workplace situations.
• Value of Diverse Perspectives
  Show how different approaches and interpretations led to unique outcomes, underlining the importance of embracing team diversity.

Using Personal Examples

To deepen understanding, encourage participants to share personal stories that connect to these leadership lessons. This collective sharing builds a richer pool of insights.

"Psychological safety is the belief that you won't be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes." – Center for Creative Leadership

For effective sharing:

• Start with small group discussions before moving to the larger group.
• Actively acknowledge and validate contributions.
• Tie participants’ insights back to broader leadership principles.
• Reflect on how different problem-solving approaches can lead to growth.

This approach ensures a meaningful connection between the exercise and real-world leadership dynamics.

Modifying the Exercise

Mixed Team Formats

The LEGO® Duck Exercise is flexible enough to accommodate a variety of team dynamics, making it an excellent tool for bringing together individuals with different perspectives and abilities. To make the most of it:

• Use open-ended questions that encourage diverse interpretations and ideas.
• Encourage metaphorical thinking to help bridge communication gaps.
• Create balanced subgroups by mixing experience levels and roles.

A great example of the exercise's effectiveness comes from AstraZeneca Norway. They found that it fostered collaboration by putting everyone on equal footing, regardless of their position or background.

Now, let’s explore how this exercise can be adapted for virtual teams.

Remote Team Options

When working with virtual teams, a few adjustments can ensure the activity remains engaging and effective:

• Send identical LEGO® kits to participants in advance.
• Use a reliable video platform with screen-sharing capabilities.
• Schedule shorter sessions with breaks to maintain energy levels.
• Take screenshots to document the process and outcomes.

One success story comes from a global tech company that used virtual LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® sessions to bridge time zones. The result? Improved project clarity, stronger team cohesion, and quicker resolution of bottlenecks within weeks.

"Learning to use LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® in an online environment has been a brilliant experience. As someone whose entire team is now working from home, Inthrface's training for an online application of LSP has provided me with a way to improve engagement in the team and generate positive outcomes remotely." – Savannah, USA

For larger groups, additional considerations come into play.

Large Group Management

When handling larger groups, careful planning is essential to maintain engagement and ensure everyone has a meaningful experience. The ideal setup is 12–13 participants per facilitator, but with proper organisation, larger groups can also thrive.

Here are some key tips:

• Duration: Keep sessions between 1 and 3.5 hours.
• Group size: Break participants into smaller clusters of 8–12.
• Facilitation: Prioritise group dynamics over individual attention.
• Engagement: Use storytelling and open discussions to keep energy levels high.

Rather than imposing strict rules, present these guidelines as helpful practices. This approach fosters a positive and collaborative atmosphere while ensuring the activity runs smoothly.

Conclusion: Exercise Benefits and Next Steps

Main Outcomes

The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® duck exercise has a unique way of reshaping team dynamics while nurturing individual skills. Research highlights that this hands-on activity fosters greater creativity and improves problem-solving abilities among participants.

Here are some of the key benefits:

These benefits provide a solid foundation for incorporating the exercise into various programmes.

Implementation Guide

To make the most of this exercise, consider the following steps:

• Preparation Phase
  Ensure the room is set up to foster creativity, with all materials ready and easily accessible. Create an environment that feels safe for experimentation and sharing ideas.
• Facilitation Approach
  Take on the role of a guide rather than a director. Encourage open dialogue and make sure every participant feels heard.
• Session Structure
  Keep sessions concise, ideally between 1.5 to 2 hours, to maintain engagement. For larger groups, break them into smaller clusters of 8–12 participants for a more interactive experience.

This approach works well for various initiatives, including onboarding, strategic planning, trust-building, and tackling creative challenges.

"Build using hands and using metaphors to explain the meaning of what is built, allows our brains to express and share our way of thinking and use the information we receive, sharing them with the team we are part, instead of keeping".

'Build a Duck' - Lego Activities for Trainers

FAQs

How does the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Duck Exercise inspire creativity and teamwork?

The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Duck Exercise is a fun and engaging way to spark creativity and strengthen teamwork. Participants are given a small selection of LEGO bricks and tasked with building a duck - without any instructions. This simple yet thought-provoking activity pushes individuals to think outside the box and come up with their own unique solutions.

As participants share and discuss their designs, they gain new insights into how others approach the same task. This exchange of ideas encourages open communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. It’s an excellent way to bring people together, helping teams connect on a deeper level while inspiring individual creativity.

What are the main benefits of the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Duck Exercise for teams?

The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Duck Exercise brings a host of benefits to teams, making it a standout activity for group development. One of its standout features is how it promotes creative thinking. By challenging participants to build and share ideas using LEGO bricks, it encourages them to step beyond conventional approaches and explore new ways of solving problems.

Another major benefit is its ability to boost team collaboration. The exercise creates an environment where everyone’s voice matters, inviting all team members to share their perspectives. This inclusive approach not only builds trust but also enhances problem-solving by bringing diverse ideas to the table. The light-hearted and playful nature of the activity also helps to ease tension, creating a more relaxed and productive team atmosphere.

How can the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Duck Exercise be tailored for remote teams or larger groups?

The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Duck Exercise works just as well for remote teams with a few adjustments. Using platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, participants can either build with physical LEGO® bricks they have at home or use virtual tools designed to replicate the building experience. This keeps the session lively and interactive, encouraging both creativity and teamwork, even from a distance.

For larger groups, you can split participants into smaller breakout rooms. Each group can create their ducks separately and then share their designs with the whole team. This setup not only promotes collaboration but also ensures everyone has the chance to contribute. To keep things running smoothly, use timed rounds and provide clear instructions, helping maintain focus and energy throughout the session.

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• Unlock Team Innovation with the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method