A LEGO Teamwork Game to Experience Belbin and Tuckman in Real-Time

Abstract

This article presents a LEGO®1 -based experiential exercise where students learn about Tuckman team development and Belbin team role theories. The design allows real-time application of the theories through intense, time-constrained construction activity. Students act in teams of workers or watchers. Workers build the model without the instructions that come with the set. This and a few surprises designed into the task create pressure on the team. Or, students act as watchers, systematically observing the worker teams, using the theories to categorize or predict worker behavior. Directly experiencing the theories helps develop a critique of their utility in helping managers predict and influence team behavior. This activity is intended for synchronous classrooms, ideally with class sizes between 6 and 30. As presented here, the activity requires 2 hours, but can be modified to an hour for a smaller class. Scalability of the task depends on availability of LEGO sets, teaching assistants, and time.