“Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again.”
-Mark Twain
This Mark Twain quote goes right to the core, and it’s funny because it is true. It also holds one of the secrets as to why LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Methods are so powerful when applied for conflict management. LSP allows for a facilitated conversation when the stakes are high. The ground rules and process set the stage to uncover interests.
When it comes to Conflict Management, the power of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Methods lies as much in the process as the skilled facilitation.
All trained LSP facilitators understand the process’s power when it comes to storytelling and finding ah-ha moments. And when applied systematically, with a facilitation conflict practitioner’s mindset, it is also a powerful tool for uncovering interests and moving people away from positions.
As a trained Conflict Practitioner (I hold an MA in Conflict Analysis and Management), I can say with all certainty this methodology, in the right hands, has great potential for peacekeeping. At Strategic Play, we have been using this tool for years for conflict management in a variety of settings. We have recently chosen to share with other LSP facilitators how we apply these tools and techniques for conflict management.
Last week in Whistler, we ran a Strategic Play® Creative Conflict Management Course with LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Methods. We welcomed 12 LSP facilitators who will join the peacekeeping army as new practitioners. They will be using these tools in Brazil, USA, China, Australia, and Canada. We hope the good news spreads quickly.
We all run into conflicts, it’s part of the human condition. Clearly, we all think differently, have different experiences, our cultures are different, and our values are not the same. Why would we expect all people to agree with each other?
Healthy conflicts that are managed well are the key to transformation.
If you are a leader, chances are you are going to lead through change. You will try to move to higher ground, but overt and covert conflicts will slow down the process. So how do you manage critical conversations with a variety of people who are all seeing the world through different lenses?
By using LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods for Creative Conflict Management, of course.
Don’t avoid conflicts, embrace them. Unpacking conflicts and reconstructing the conversations can be powerful, creative, and transformative.
“The easiest, the most tempting, and the least creative response to conflict within an organization is to pretend it does not exist.”
-Lyle E. Schaller
Check out our training schedule here or email us at hello@strategicplay.com and we will help you find the perfect training solution.