Tired of networking events that consist of name tags, awkward small talk, and the same old question: “So, what do you do?”
There’s a better way to help people connect.
In this episode of the Build Better Teams Podcast, strategic leadership and team-building facilitator Shannon Russell takes you behind the scenes of two recent interactive networking events where participants skipped the traditional introductions and instead built LEGO® minifigures that represented who they are.
The result? People started talking about hobbies, families, travel, interests, personalities, and experiences instead of leading with their job titles. A simple hands-on activity became a natural conversation starter and helped participants discover common ground, tell stories, laugh together, and build genuine relationships. Pasted markdown
Shannon explores why creative networking activities and hands-on team building can make it easier for people to connect, strengthen psychological safety, and ultimately improve collaboration in the workplace.
You'll learn why connection should come before collaboration, how “thinking with your hands” can unlock meaningful conversations, and how leaders, HR professionals, and event planners can create more memorable corporate networking events, leadership retreats, employee engagement experiences, and team-building workshops.
Whether you're planning a company event, networking experience, leadership retreat, conference, or corporate team-building activity, this episode will inspire you to think beyond the name tag and create an experience people actually remember.
Because the strongest teams aren't built one meeting at a time. They're built one meaningful connection at a time.
🔗 Learn more about Build Better Teams Consulting and our LEGO Serious Play workshops and events.
Watch Shannon's TEDx Talk on The Imagination Recession
