Witnessing True Team Engagement
Don’t Look at the Person Talking, Look at Everyone Else
Yesterday, I tried something new with my team building workshop - facilitating virtually for an in-person group. As someone who loves being "in the mix," I'll admit I was nervous. Would the energy translate through the screen? Could I create the same magic from afar? What I discovered wasn't just reassuring - it was revelatory.
Here's what most people don't see when they think about team building: the subtle symphony of genuine engagement playing out in real time.
As a facilitator, I've learned that true engagement has its own body language. In about 80% of my sessions, teams arrive ready and excited to participate. (The other 20%? That's where facilitator magic comes into play, but that's a story for another day.) But yesterday's virtual vantage point gave me a unique perspective on what engagement really looks like.
No phones in sight. No laptops casting their blue glow on distracted faces. Instead, I witnessed something beautiful: people physically leaning in, drawn by their colleagues' stories. Genuine smiles - not the polite kind, but the ones that reach the eyes. And perhaps most telling, authentic curiosity as each person shared their LEGO models and the stories behind them.
That's the real magic.
Think about it - when was the last time you saw an entire team fully present, genuinely interested in each other's perspectives? Not just going through the motions of team building, but truly connecting?
I've spent years in corporate environments, and I know the challenge of striking that perfect balance: creating space for both introverts and extroverts, mixing fun with meaningful connection, keeping it professional while encouraging playfulness. It's like trying to find the sweet spot on a see-saw - lean too far either way, and the experience falls flat.
But watching these groups interact through LEGO Serious Play, I realize we've found that equilibrium. The models become more than just plastic bricks - they're conversation starters, story holders, and permission slips to share parts of ourselves we might otherwise keep hidden.
Even our stakeholder agreed, stating:
"Everyone was immediately engaged and energized by doing something completely different. The room has a really good energy right now—positive and excited to tackle the next few days. The importance of Play really showed up!"
This is why I do what I do. In a world where we're all too often skimming the surface of relationships, especially at work, these moments of deep engagement are precious. When I see people truly present, truly curious, truly engaged - that's when I know we've built something special.
Sometimes, you need to step back (or in this case, zoom out) to see it clearly. That magical moment when a team transforms from a collection of individuals into a connected whole - it happens in the leaning in, the genuine curiosity, the shared laughter. And witnessing it, even through a screen, reminds me why team building through play is so powerful.
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