4 Ways Lego Bricks Help Us Create Building Blocks for the Future

By Ian Clawson and Chris Deaver

What if the key to joy in work and life were found in a simple toy?

The Lego Group kick started in Billund, Denmark in 1932 when Ole Kirk Christiansen tinkered with wooden toys out of his workshop. Back then, his company became known as “Lego”, derived from the Danish phrase leg godt [lɑjˀɡ̊ʌd̥], which means, “play well”.

Today grandparents, mothers, fathers, and children can claim their childhood has been influenced and shaped by the wonder and imagination of Lego bricks.

Here are 4 ways that Legos can help create building blocks for your future:

1. Don’t Think Twice About Opening the Box

When it comes to Lego collectors’ certain sets have an incredible resell value as time passes, if the box is unopened and there are no visible signs of wear and tear. We’ve seen “Lego Parents” buy two of the same sets, one to build and one to collect. Lego has built such an incredible brand. It’s no wonder why existing properties such as Star Wars, Marvel and Nintendo continue to do licensing deal after deal.

In the Clawson home, one of our sets was originally purchased to remain a collectible: Back to the Future — DeLorean. Often our son and youngest daughter have pleaded, “Can we finally open the set now?” For kids, the things that call them to play are all around them. Their imagination runs wild. We have repeatedly said no to their request, knowing that they have plenty of other sets to build and containers full of loose bricks.

You know what? They were right.

Many times, we remain immovable and fixed in our views in life. Unwilling to change our position. What if all that is holding us back is a simple act? Opening a box. Getting started. Building together. Perhaps it is the box we put ourselves in years ago, or we remain in denial that the box even exists at all…

There is greater value in the experience and joy of building with an open box rather than guarding a closed box and waiting for the quality of life to increase on its own.

If you now feel stuck at work or in life, what if you just opened the box?

What might you build?

“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water.” -Bruce Lee

2. Building Brings Order

In business we see a lot of start-ups but not as many finish-ups. So many people rush to the gym for new year’s resolution, yet most don’t return in February and fail to stick with it. Is motivation lacking? Perhaps in some situations. Or is it because people are too distracted and their priorities out of whack? Most of us just need better direction.

Every Lego set comes with a visual builder’s guide. When you flip through these colored pages you see the potential of starting with one brick and the step-by-step process to achieve a finished object. The steps are simple and doable, yet finishing a project is a magical experience.

We live in a world where chaos grabs our attention time and time again. Many of us start our day with plans of things we want to do. This usually conflicts with things you need to do, like emails or reports that have looming deadlines. Certain days get completely hijacked by the “Daily Whirlwind”-the unforeseen situations that alter our plans, drain our energy, and demand our focus and time.

This takes the form of an unexpected audit, an irate customer, the resignation of a valued employee, or a sudden lawsuit. Not being prepared to handle difficult things gives chaos power over us. These disruptions alter our routines, causing stress, burnout or even a sense of defeat. We worry when we’re in a state of chaos. We feel anxious, even with the simplest of tasks. This sparks more fear and uncertainty if left unresolved.

Most of us do not respond well when someone or something is telling us what to do. However, having direction in work and life, like in building a Lego set, drives us toward a desired outcome and helps us appreciate the order in chaos. As we build, we feel a sense of progress. Maybe not complete control, but a sense of responsibility. This building process becomes a welcome template of order that could be implemented in the workplace and in our homes.

Sometimes order can be embodied in the act of finishing a project, reaching a milestone toward a goal or we finish a household chore that is staring us in the face.

What will you finish this week that can invite more order into your life?

“Adopt responsibility for your own well-being, try to put your family together, try to serve your community, try to seek for eternal truth… That’s the sort of thing that can ground you in your life, enough so that you can withstand the difficulty of life.” -Jordan Peterson

3. Compatibility Doesn’t Happen By Luck or Chance

Lego sets from the 1950’s are still compatible with current bricks. By design two bricks can securely fit together and just as easily be disengaged. With hundreds of varying shapes and sizes, each brick can be configured to work together.

In today’s work landscape traditional leaders are finding it hard to connect with the younger generation entering the workforce. We spoke to a startup founder who said that the prior week he had ten interviews lined up for a position that needed to be filled. Six out of those ten candidates simply didn’t show up, they also didn’t call or email beforehand. He was ghosted.

We are at an inflection point with two different value systems colliding. A younger generation doesn’t want to have difficult conversations with traditional leaders who try to dangle the carrot to convince them why they should join their organization. A younger generation leans more with their vibes. If they are energized about something they will act. If they aren’t feeling something they won’t. This leaves Baby Boomers and some GenXers baffled by this behavior while vacant positions remain open.

Compatibility doesn’t happen by luck or chance. It takes work. Better relations are made possible when you seek to connect with real intent.

If Legos from the 1950s are still compatible with modern day bricks, why can’t older professionals and younger career starters connect better? Here are some things to consider:

· Traditional leaders need to stop viewing Millennials and Gen Z as the problem. Instead of being critical, show respect. Seek to understand. This applies to both generational viewpoints.

· Professionals should extend themselves more by becoming mentors for a rising generation. As these relationships form, professionals should also be open to the idea of reverse mentoring.

· Don’t preach principles you think others should have. Stop trying to change other people. Instead, do your best to embody your own principles. Be someone that inspires.

· Influence is more of a pull toward, instead of a push at.

How can you make better connections with people who are different than you?

4. There is No Right Way to Create

Building a set with instructions is one way to do it. There are plenty of things in our lives where following directions makes a lot of sense, such as: cooking instructions, building an IKEA dresser, or following the rules of the road. Other times we are pulled in a direction that is less prescriptive. Sometimes our soul just needs to create.

That is why over the years I’ve enjoyed watching my kids play with Legos. They are a lot older now, yet they still find time to pull out all the brick containers and build an entire world on our living room carpet, coffee table, couch, and accent furniture. It is amazing to witness. Pure co-creative bliss. Lego base plates laid out, green = grass, blue = the ocean, beige = the desert, and white = the snow.

They build houses and hotels. Vehicles and spaceships. Businesses and bases. Weapons of mass destruction. Gardens and theme parks. My kids are free. Free to build. Free to create. They find a rhythm together. Space for ideas to merge. They wonder, what kind of adventure can these minifigures have in the world I am building? They envision themselves as these characters. If they don’t like the conditions in front of them, they do their best to build better conditions.

While building they learn how to communicate better, respecting each other’s creative desires. Yes, it’s messy. Yes, sometimes they bicker. But they want to return time and time again to creating this shared world.

Here are some things to think about in terms of co-creating things together:

· We can learn a lot by watching children at play. There is no right way to create.

· We all have our own unique perspectives with how we see the world and how we see ourselves. How can we understand other people’s unique perspective without trying to convince them to see the way we do?

· We should approach problems with fresh eyes. What can we do to see our challenges from other angles? Ask for advice instead of feedback.

· We are all creative beings with different gifts and skill sets. How can we recognize and develop our own gifts? How can we integrate the talents of others in our builds?

We can return to co-creation time and time again. Even though it’s hard. Even though it’s messy. Each time we can learn something new, about ourselves and about other people.

What changes will you make to be more approachable, to be more confident in the ways that you work with other people?

Ian Clawson and Chris Deaver are cofounders of BraveCore, a leadership consultancy that’s shaping the future by helping leaders be more creative and creatives be better leaders. They co-host the podcast Lead with a Question.