Leadership Lessons from… LEGO

October 7th, 2008

What would make a corporate lawyer give up his six-figure salary to make $13 an hour? One word: LEGO. It all started on Christmas 1978 in Colville, Washington, when five-year-old Nathan Sawaya unwrapped his first set of LEGO bricks. As an adult, Nathan’s LEGO interest was merely a hobby until 2004 when he entered a contest, sponsored by the LEGOLAND theme park, in San Diego to find the country’s best adult LEGO builders. After winning the contest he became a LEGO Master Builder assembling elaborate replicas. Making only one-fifth his lawyer’s salary didn’t matter because he was living his dream.

It is estimated that more than 235 Billion Lego parts have been manufactured since the first “automatic binding brick” was molded in 1949. Today, LEGO is more than just simple building blocks. LEGO is toys, theme parks, games, movies, computers and robots; all sold in more than 115 different countries. Now, the fourth largest toy manufacturer in the world, LEGO Group employs more than 5,000 people and produces more than 33,000 bricks every minute totaling 16 billion bricks annually. That translates into annual sales exceeding $1.1 billion. In 2000, Fortune magazine named LEGO the “Toy of the Century.”

The popularity of LEGO bricks results from the endless possibilities of what you can build. Their versatility is magnified when you realize how many ways you can connect them. You can arrange six eight-stud LEGO bricks in an astounding 915,103,765 different ways. If you can dream it, the LEGO Group believes you can build it.

LEGO bricks provide the essence of this leadership lesson: Building Begins With Connecting.

Relationships are the building blocks of any organization. Relationships precede market position, sales goals, research and development or success in the boardroom. Real power relates and takes on the form of influence by connecting. Look at the heart of any successful organization and you will find strong relationships that began because someone cared enough to click. Relationships or connections will exist at every level in varying degrees and in multiple directions.

LEGO bricks teach that each individual is interdependent on the next connection for success. The properly placed LEGO within a structure provides strength and substance. Placing each person so they connect properly results in the healthy utilization of human resources.

LEGO Leaders know the power of connecting and appreciate these three lessons that LEGO bricks teach:

1. LEGO Leaders recognize the value of connecting. Leaders appreciate that good, connecting relationships build a strong foundation, unleash the power of synergy within the team, and fully utilize the strength of unity of mission.

2. LEGO Leaders have the ability to connect. Leaders can unite even the toughest team members. They do so by teaching that, like LEGO bricks, people must be reliable when placed in positions where they are compatible. When this occurs, connection is easy.

3. LEGO Leaders avoid the failures in connection. Every leader has failed to connect at some point. This happens when people are misplaced, forced into the wrong position or generally unorganized.

Leaders often get so caught up in the programs that they forget about the people – the building blocks of any program. While there is tremendous value in plans, the strength of any organization is in its relationships. Remember, building begins with the clicking sound of connections.
One final word about Nathan Sawaya, the lawyer turned professional LEGO artist. Today he is one of the top LEGO sculptors in the world, his art values range from $100 to tens of thousands of dollars. LEGO bricks changed Nathan Sawaya’s life. Believe it or not, the lesson they teach could change yours too.

This material is taken from chapter one of Toy Box Leadership: Leadership Lessons From The Toys You Loved As A Child

Entry Filed under: Relationships, toy box leadership