How to Improve Team Communication Without Another Awkward Team-Building Activity
Your team doesn’t need more forced fun — it needs a space where real conversations can happen. Here's how to create it.
You sat across the table from your candidate, reading more than just their CV. In a serious interview setting, you noticed everything: their tone of voice, how they spoke about past teams, the way they described what mattered to them. You picked up micro-signals, trying to figure out how they move through the world and how they think. Fast-forward to today: now that individual is part of your team.
And they’re all so different. One is a born doer, jumping into every new idea. Another is quieter and slower to voice concerns – but when they do speak up, it’s always the thing no one else noticed. There’s one who keeps momentum high, one who asks the hard questions, and one who makes sure no detail slips through the cracks. It works... most of the time. But sometimes you feel a communication gap is holding the group back.
When it comes to real collaboration, there are moments where something feels off. People seem just slightly out of sync. Misunderstandings pop up that didn’t need to happen. Ideas get lost in translation. Everyone’s trying their best – but somehow, they’re not quite getting it right. The team gets along fine on the surface, yet deeper down, they struggle to really talk.
Team Bonding Activities
vs.
Real Communication
So you think: Maybe we need to do something fun together – build trust, loosen up, improve communication. A team outing might help everyone relax, right? Yes — and also, no.
Mini golf won’t get you there. Neither will the usual pizza Fridays or escape-room adventures. While shared laughs do matter for camaraderie, bonding alone doesn’t automatically create space for the honest, deeper conversations your team needs.
For people to bring more of themselves into the room, they need more than just a fun break. They need a different kind of space – one where expectations shift, every voice is invited to contribute, and the playing field is literally leveled.
A Different Approach: LEGO® Serious Play® for Open Team Conversations
This is where I introduce you to LEGO® Serious Play®. No, it’s not a “build a LEGO® castle together” kind of team game. It’s a facilitated team communication workshop backed by research in neuroscience, learning, and systems thinking. LEGO® Serious Play is designed to help teams explore real issues in creative, judgment-free ways. Everyone builds. Everyone shares. Everyone listens. And most importantly: everyone is heard.
Through LEGO® Serious Play®, your team can tackle topics that don’t come up in a regular meeting – the hidden tensions, unspoken priorities, mismatched expectations, vague goals, or stuck collaboration patterns that often simmer beneath the surface. Team members build models with bricks as metaphors, which opens up honest dialogue about these challenges. Complex or sensitive ideas become easier to discuss because they’re represented in a tangible form.
People who don’t usually speak up suddenly feel comfortable contributing – not because they’ve magically turned extroverted, but because the format makes it safe and fast to participate. The bricks help translate thoughts into physical models. When you can literally see what someone means, it becomes much easier for the whole team to understand, ask questions, challenge ideas, and align on next steps. In short, LEGO® Serious Play creates a level playing field where improving team communication isn’t just an abstract goal, but a hands-on experience.
What a LEGO® Serious Play® Workshop Looks Like
So what does it actually look like in practice? You don’t need a three-day offsite or an expensive retreat to reap the benefits. In fact, just a few focused hours can be enough. In a typical workshop, the team shows up not to perform or compete, but to build, reflect, and get curious together in a guided session.
Depending on your needs, the workshop might explore questions like:
What each person brings to the table – and what they need from others.
How the team defines success, alignment, or trust.
What’s holding the group back from its full potential.
How the team can move through change with clarity and shared ownership.
Throughout the session, we don’t talk at each other – we build together. In that process, something deeper emerges. The room often gets quiet in a focused way, as everyone is thinking with their hands. Then it comes alive with rich stories as people share the meaning behind their models. The LEGO® bricks serve as a common language, so even abstract concepts become visible and discussable.
Fun with Depth: Building Real Team Communication
Yes, there’s play involved – it is fun – but it’s fun with depth. And let’s be honest: most teams don’t need another Slack message, trust fall, or motivational quote to plaster on the wall. They need space to listen differently, speak more honestly, and see one another through new eyes. That’s exactly what a LEGO® Serious Play workshop offers.
It transforms “fine” teams into
truly connected teams
by turning play into a
serious catalyst for open communication.
That’s why I keep bringing LEGO® Serious Play into my work with teams, meeting them wherever they are at. As a facilitator, I’ve seen even the most reserved individuals open up when given this outlet. Issues that might take months to surface in regular meetings can arise (and be resolved) within a single afternoon of building and storytelling. The result? Your team leaves not only with creative LEGO® models on the table, but with clearer alignment, renewed trust, and concrete ideas for moving forward together.
Feeling like your team is doing “fine,” but suspect something crucial is missing beneath the surface? Let’s build something more real, together. For more information about me and my approach, you can check out what other services I offer as well. I’m based in the Netherlands and work with teams across Europe, helping create space for these kinds of breakthroughs. If you’re curious to experience this hands-on method for yourself, feel free to contact me to book a LEGO Serious Play workshop for your team. Let’s turn your team’s polite nods into meaningful conversations and real results.
