Florida ReCap: SPG Conference 2024

(Above  photo, relaxing on the beach after the conference! Clockwise from top left Stephen Walling (Canada), Dr. Andrea Grimm (Austria), Dr. Steve Ralph (USA), Dr. Astin Malschinger (Austria), Jacquie Lloyd Smith (Canada),  Sara Ramadoro (UK & Italy).

The Strategic Play Global 2024 conference in Florida was a success.

 

The Dalí Art Museum was the perfect backdrop for this amazing event, which was filled with play and ideas for everyone to use as they lead with the power of play. It was truly inspirational. LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods were in full colour as professors and practitioners presented on the multiple ways they are used in a variety of settings. 

 

(Registration Tables) 

Dr. Steve Ralph, the conference MC, launched the event with help from the Strategic Play community. As speaker liaison, Kari Campos did a great job of gathering slides and dealing with the tech end of things. Yvonne Groenen greeted the Strategic Players at the door and got them outfitted with name tags and bags of LEGO. These bags contained Salvador Dalí Minifigures that  Robin Sather, amazing Professional and Master LEGO builder, supplied. Rosa Mon provided us with fun music and reminders as the program continued. Sarah D. Moyle was on hand with her markers. As always, she did an amazing job of documenting the presentations!

 

With permission granted by the museum and also the owner of the artwork, Robin Sather created a large LEGO brick mosaic of Mr. Dalí. Everyone had fun taking selfies and group shots with the portrait, using the great assortment of mustaches Robin brought for us to create photo opportunities. Robin also joined the fun and presented his work with LEGO, including his appearances on the LEGO Masters Show in New Zealand. What wild LEGO work!

 

 

(Above: The Dali in LEGO - (amazing work by Robin) with the six spanish speakers who attended from Spain,  Chile,  Panama,  and Venezuela). 

 

(Below: Robin Sather (Canada) and Sara Ramadoro (UK / Italy) adding the last few bricks)

2024 Speaker Snapshot (Graphic Recording by Sarah D. Moyle)

Jacqueline "Jacquie" Lloyd Smith, Founder Strategic Play Global Jacquie, Founder of Strategic Play, was first to present. She demonstrated how she introduces LEGO SERIOUS PLAY to clients. She also used the hero's journey to present 12 Steps to ‘Release the Prisons' (Of Our Minds) and pave a pathway toward freedom to play. She applied this to both professionals working in organizations and also as a treatment tool for use with those incarcerated and in residential treatment!

 

 

Dr. Andrea Grimm and Dr. Astin  Malschinger, Ferdinand Porsche University Lego Serious Play facilitators and trainers Dr. Andrea Grimm and Dr. Astin Malschinger presented their work in marketing at Ferdinand Porsche University in Vienna, Austria and demonstrated how Lego methods can help uncover pain points to create great marketing messages. They presented the value of LSP and the connection with neuroscience to pave the way for thinking in 3D.

 

 

Dr. Kim Macuare, The Dali Lego  Serious  Play  Faciitator, Dr. Kim Macuare presented her playful work at the Dalí using Visual Thinking Strategies. She walked us through a process to help the viewer of art understand the power of the mind and how it absorbs what it sees and filters it though each viewer's past experiences, where inner stories shape the narrative. Dali's playful approach is an inspiration.

 

 

Dr. Tricia Garwood, Disney University Dr. Tricia Garwood presented her work at Disney. She gave us many new ways to play with the play-resistant using everyday items, like cookies and parts and pieces from games. Her backdoor approach to fun was a great reminder that we need to lead people to the freedom of play.

 

Paul Propster, JPL /  NASA Lego Serious Play Facilitator Paul Propster presented his work at Jet Propulsion Lab / NASA. He uses LSP and many other great storytelling tools to better understand the ideas of highly skilled professionals in order to move tech forward, ultimately getting it to the launchpad. His presentation was out of this world!

 

 

Sara Ramadoro, Google London Lego Serious Play facilitator Sara Ramadoro shared a fun story of playful travels through her career, going form professional translator to her current position as a professional working at Google. She explained how life is not a simple step-by-step journey but a messy process where we all, at some point, may feel as if we have imposter syndrome.

 

 

Dr. Francisco (Paco) Suay Pérez. CEU University, Valencia Spain. Dr. Francisco (Paco) Suay Pérez presented his work at the CEU Universidad Cardenal Herrara in Valencia, Spain. As a Lego Serious Play facilitator he shared his story in slides, giving us an inside look at his students utilizing this creative tool in academic environments during his innovative programs.

 

 

Dr. Steve Ralph, Pepperdine University Lego Serious Play facilitator and trainer Dr. Steve Ralph presented his work on play as a pause practice. He highlighted the value and need for pause in an already technologically oversaturated environment. He presented research and statistics that everyone could relate to, given that we all needed to put down our cell phones to pay attention to this important presentation.

 

Please Note, the professionals and professionl presentations were captured in video and will be made available soon.

Professor Sven Poguntke took us on a journey of imagination and exploration as we left behind our five-year plans. We created new plans where we were only limited by our imaginations; we designed and developed our new life leading with the power of play!

(Above: 3D Model from Planning Your Playful Life with Prof. Sven Poguntke)

On Wednesday, a small group of VIP's stayed for the Strategic Play Global Playsonality© Certification and Training. Large boxes of materials went home to far away places with Sara to Google UK, with Paula to the Navy in Chile, with  Paco to a University in Spain and with Sven to a Unviersity in Germany. And some stayed right in Florida. Tricia took one back to Disney University. And one big box of Playsonality Tools now lives with Dr. Kim at the Dalí Museum itself!

(Below:  Prof. Sven Poguntke with Rosa and Rhonda Playstyles in Photos). 

 

The conference was topped only by the Golden Brick Award we gave to Dr. Stuart Brown for his work as a Play Champion! He is also Founder of the National Institute of Play. His work has been a huge inspiration to so many people, and his  book Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens Imagination and Invigorates the Soul, continues to be a great guide to anyone who is working to lead with the power of play.

The location for  the 2024  Strategic Play Conference at the Dalí in Florida was amazing, the speakers were great, and the food was delicious. We laughed and created like children, we shared stories like researchers, professors, and scientists, we brainstormed and envisioned like leaders, and we imagined as if we had no limits.

 

(Above: Speaker Sara Ramadoro, Robin Sather, Steve Walling, and Dr. Andrea Grimm)

Most importantly, we paused for play!

Thank you to everyone who attended. It was a truly wonderful and memorable event!

Strategic Play Global Conference 2025

Thinking ahead? In 2025 our conference will be back in Whistler, Canada (Think Spring) and if you don't want to miss it, please be sure to add your name to our conference waiting list now.

We can't wait to play with you again in the Alpine!