🌴333. Democratise the conversation with Lego Serious Play feat. Michael Fearne (Weekend Rewind)

This week I’m exploring how something as simple and tactile as Lego can open people up, shift conversations, and spark ideas in ways most traditional workshops can’t touch. My guest is Michael Fearne, founder of Pivotal Play and an expert in Lego Serious Play. He works with everyone from startup founders to corporate leaders, helping them break out of business-as-usual thinking and communicate in more human, meaningful ways.What I loved about this conversation is how practical and grounded Michael is. He cuts through the myths, the scepticism, and the “I’m not creative” excuses we all hear in workshops. He explains why Lego Serious Play isn’t about building pretty models, it’s about generating insights, levelling power dynamics, and surfacing the stories and ideas people usually keep buried. We also talk through the messy parts: the sceptical participants, the leadership roadblocks, the workshop that went off the rails, and how he learned to handle high-stakes groups with more confidence and clarity.If you’re a facilitator, trainer, leader or someone who wants a more reliable way to get every voice in the room heard, you’ll get a lot from this one. And if you’re curious about using Lego in your own work, Michael has literally written the book on it and breaks the method down step by step.Key takeawaysLego Serious Play is a tool for thinking, not a toy activityIt democratises conversation by giving every participant a structured voiceThe value is in the stories, not the “model building”Reliability matters more than novelty in workshop designYou must choose clients and environments that match your styleLeadership groups with fixed mindsets can derail a process if you don’t manage themPhysical tools work brilliantly in virtual spaces when designed intentionallyPreparation and environment matter more than most facilitators admitA repeatable warm-up sequence builds trust and confidence every timeWriting a book forces you to codify what you actually knowPre-order my new book WORK FAME and get featured on the Wall of Work FameSign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comLet's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: [email protected] you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.