This is the story of how a legacy organisation used LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® to bring hidden dynamics into the light.
It was one of those mornings. The coffee was warm, but the room wasn’t.
All six participants were already seated — attentive, respectful, and polite. But the energy was tense, as if everything that needed to be said had long ago slipped beneath the surface. The team was young, but the legacy was not. They had grown into their roles under its shadow, guided more by the old ways than by their own.
And then, on one chair sat Tara (name changed), the fourth-generation MD — intelligent, capable, B-school educated, with all the credentials. Her father’s sudden passing a couple of years ago had left no room for a slow handover. Grieving and unprepared for the sudden spotlight, she stepped into the role. She looked steady on the outside, still catching her breath within.
On paper, she held the reins. But something in the team was out of sync.
Why She Returned to LSP
Tara wasn’t new to LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®. She’d experienced the method in a “Third Way Innovation” session with a larger team last year. What stayed with her was that every person in the room had a voice. She trusted the method.
One afternoon, she called me — “Manali, I need to know what my core team isn’t saying. What they really think of me. They’re holding something back….I can feel it. There’s a blind spot sitting between us. I think we need to face it together.”
She paused, then went on: “Is it a patriarchal mindset that can’t see me as a leader? Or is it something I’m not seeing in myself yet? I just don’t know.”
As a facilitator, I knew I couldn’t walk in wearing her lens. I told her: “Let the method show us what it sees. If the blind spot is there, it will show up in the builds.”
Because LSP isn’t about defending a position. It’s about surfacing what lies beneath and trusting the room to hold it.
Building the Terrain
We began with an hour of skills-building. First came the legendary tower, then Imaginopedia, followed by quick builds on what energises them at work and the team member they don’t want to be. The bricks did what they always do, bringing people in as themselves. And slowly the shoulders began to drop.
After a short break, came the Core Identity build, which explored, who you are today and what you bring to the team. The table was filled with metaphors of compasses, hearts, flames, and shields.
Next, we moved to Aspirational Identity — what do you wish to bring more of to this team? Models spoke of courage, clarity, mentoring, and collaboration. Slowly, they were beginning to see themselves.
External Identity: What Others See in You
The next round invited participants to build for someone else. The prompt was — “What is something this person is already doing well for the team, but could bring even more to benefit the group?”
I framed it this way to keep things positive because feedback is easier to receive when it highlights what someone is already doing well and how they can build on it. It encourages growth without sounding critical.
Each person picked a teammate’s name at random and began building. When they shared their stories, no names were revealed. As Tara was the only woman in the room. So, they addressed her as this “person” while narrating the metaphors and meaning behind the model. I repeated the round to allow everyone to build for one another.
Tara gently pointed out each person’s strengths, their efficiency, and the even greater impact they could make by taking more ownership or empowering their juniors.
After everyone narrated their models. I asked them to slowly place them infront of the rightful owners between their core and aspirational identity models. The table in front of each person now held three reflections: how they saw themselves today, who they wished to become, and how others experienced their contribution.
Tara’s eyes were fixed on her models. Each model conveyed a slightly different message, but together, they carried a unified message:
One model suggested that she is well-positioned to succeed, with essential resources already available and supportive individuals ready to tackle obstacles. However, to achieve prosperity and the business’s goals, it is a must to channel only positive energy by letting go of negative experiences from the past. She needs to finish some pending tasks and lead with heart. (pic 1)
Another model highlighted the need to bridge gaps to build transparency. To do that, she had to come closer and stop keeping her distance. (pic 2
One more reflected how nicely she maintains a strong vision, but is at risk of losing the team’s engagement due to weak or “loose” connections. To avoid setbacks and disengagement, the model advises proactively anchoring the team, reinforcing unity and support before a potential “slip” jeopardizes collective progress. (photo 3)
Another model showed all the team members positioned around the leader as she is connected to them, but all facing outwards, away from the center and from the leader. They were disengaged; she has to make them look within, crafting a shared vision. (photo 4)
Tara gently asked for clarification on some of the metaphors. The team explained patiently and openly. Then she turned to her leadership team and said, “Let’s plan a monthly meet outside the office…lunch, dinner….just to reset and connect.”
And what was most moving was how the team received their own feedback too with openness. As if they’d been waiting for this all along.
I didn’t rush into the “team connections”. The room wasn’t really ready for that. First, they just needed to see each other clearly without assumptions or old narratives in the way.
From Holding Back to Letting In
Something had changed post the workshop. During the tea, the conversations flowed. Team members asked Tara about certain decisions they’d hesitated to question before. And she answered with openness and context. That cleared the air.
By the time I left for the airport, my phone had already pinged with two messages from her core team. Both said, in different ways, the same thing: the ice had broken. (see pic 5)
Before Tara left, she turned to me and smiled. “This session opened up our ‘chakras’.” It was a passing comment, but I knew what she meant.
Two months later, she sent me a company video, featuring a happy and energetic team celebrating with speeches of gratitude. With that, she sent a message (see pic 5). I think it will remain one of the most touching testimonials of my life.
Beyond the Throne
Being on a throne is not always about the person but about everything swirling around it. The expectations. The responsibilities. The pressure of leading a legacy. Taking on a legacy is never easy.
As for the blind spot? It didn’t belong to Tara alone. It belonged to all of them.
That afternoon, for the first time in a long time, they turned toward it together and acknowledged.
I’ll return in Nov for the “Team Life” session.
This was only the beginning.
Manali Mitra is the Founder and Chief Facilitator of BlockstoUnblock Studio LLP
Connect with her on LinkedIn
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