Moving towards the future

Understanding the future and building the determination to move towards a desired future is a core application area of LEGO® SERIOUS® PLAY® for Positive Psychology.

The abstract nature of the future, of goals, dreams, visions and possible scenarios makes LSP for PP a strong tool to help make the future more comprehensible and manageable.

This future navigation is called prospection. Coined by, among others, positive psychology pioneer Martin E. P. Seligman, prospection refers broadly to the mental representation and evaluation of possible futures. Prospection may include planning, prediction, hypothetical scenarios, teleological patterns, daydreaming, and evaluative assessment of possible future events.

Examples of possible usage:

  • Self-determined goal setting
  • Exploration of narratives and metaphors underlying best possible selves (individual and group-based)
  • Exploration of visions, mission and dreams
  • Creation and analysis of scenarios

Learning from the present

Life and learning unfolds in the present but we live in a world that contributes in a major way to mental fragmentation, disintegration, distraction and less coherence. In many cases the effects of these mental challenges makes it difficult to align ourselves or the group in the present.

LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® for Positive Psychology helps cultivate a non-judgmental awareness of the present that bestows a host of benefits to the individual and group. First and foremost a benefit is an increased awareness of behavior that hinders or helps the group learn collaboratively. In other words it induces a sense of collective mindfulness.

Examples of possible usage:

  • Prototyping and experimentation with positive possibilities
  • Understanding and defining values, principles, character strengths and opinions
  • Increased awareness of other team members and exploration of helpful mindsets
  • Defining core concepts to align ideation and brain storming

Learning from the past

LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® for Positive Psychology  is a strong tool to do a range of different retrospective explorations.

It can be used to share and align “lessons learned” by having the group reflect on how things went well and what influenced a certain outcome. From here the group can make a more informed decision on what changes they want to make in the next iteration.

The richness of the dialogue created with the LEGO® models also help the group move away from “just” using the exploration of positive experiences to induce “feeling good”. Instead the exploration of narratives, metaphors, connections and patterns helps the group learn from positive experience, thus building an individual and collective efficacy.

Examples of possible usage:

  • Retrospectives
  • Identifying and learning from best (and worst) practices
  • Understanding adaptive and maladaptive behaviour and positive emotional patterns
  • Creation of timeline overviews and the helpful interaction of different instances