Have you ever left a meeting thinking everyone was in perfect agreement, only to discover weeks later that each person took a different path? Indeed, this frustrating phenomenon—the “meeting after the meeting”—derails projects, slows decision making, and saps morale. Teams can go through the motions of agreement while harbouring unspoken assumptions. Therefore, to create lasting alignment, you need to make those hidden assumptions visible and discuss them openly.
Why Projects Get Stuck
Even the most well-intentioned team can wander off course. Here are some common reasons why your team isn’t on the same page:
- Hidden mental models: Everyone brings personal experiences to the table. Without revealing them, individuals inevitably interpret plans differently.
- Unarticulated assumptions: Furthermore, people often agree on what to do but not on how to do it. Misaligned expectations inevitably lead to friction.
- Passive agreements: In busy meetings, participants may agree by default. Later, however, doubts surface in side conversations, creating the dreaded “meeting after the meeting.”
- Poor knowledge transfer: Moreover, when a team shares information through one-way communication, they miss the tacit knowledge that makes ideas meaningful.
Making Team Assumptions Visible
So, how do you bring these unseen mental models into the open? The LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) method, for instance, offers a solution. The method is designed to turn tacit knowledge into tangible models, allowing team members to externalize their thinking and share it with the group. Specifically, when individuals build their interpretation of a plan or problem using LEGO bricks, they surface hidden assumptions and emotions that otherwise remain unspoken. Consequently, sharing and discussing these models transforms monologues into rich dialogue, helping the team align on what matters most.
A Hands-On Framework for True Alignment
To achieve this, you can adapt the four-step knowledge transfer framework used at Serious Play Business to uncover assumptions and build shared understanding:
- Define the challenge. First, start by agreeing on the question you need to answer. Clarity here ensures everyone builds models about the same thing.
- Build individual models. Next, give each team member a small set of LEGO bricks and ask them to build a model that represents their understanding of the challenge.
- Share stories and assumptions. Then, each person explains their model and the assumptions behind it. Listen for differences and ask clarifying questions to understand, not critique.
- Integrate into a shared model. Finally, after hearing all perspectives, the team collaboratively builds a single model representing their collective understanding. The resulting shared mental model becomes a reference point for future decisions.
Practical Workshop Ideas
To help your team practice making assumptions visible, you can try these exercises:
- Role Interpretation Build: Each team member builds a model of their role in an upcoming project to expose different expectations.
- Timeline in 3D: Ask everyone to build a timeline of the project using bricks to represent milestones, risks and dependencies.
- Hidden Barrier Challenge: Invite participants to build a model of something that could secretly derail the project.
- Model Swap: After sharing, have team members swap models and interpret someone else’s design to build empathy.
- Assumption Mapping Exercise: Use an assumptions mapping template to record each hidden belief the team uncovers during the workshop and assess their risk.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why is my team not on the same page even after agreeing in meetings?
A: Because agreement is often superficial. People bring different mental models and assumptions to a discussion. Unless the team surfaces and reconciles those assumptions, everyone leaves with their own interpretation.
Q: How can we make team assumptions visible without hurting feelings?
A: Use neutral tools like LEGO® bricks to externalize thinking. Building and sharing models creates psychological safety because the team directs criticism at the model, not the person.
Q: Won’t building models slow down our project?
A: On the contrary, taking time to align on assumptions saves far more time later. Misalignment leads to rework and delays, whereas a short LSP workshop provides clarity and accelerates delivery.