What does building with bricks have to do with helping an organization focus on its community-driven goals? A lot more than you might think! I was honored to facilitate a series of activities for the United Way board retreat in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The United Way is an incredible not-for-profit community organization with a vital mission: improving the lives of the underprivileged and strengthening communities through the support of volunteers and local businesses.

The Goal

In our conversations, the need for innovative thinking was emphasized, especially given the additional challenges facing the community this year. The board was encouraged to be open to any ideas that could help them embrace strategies involving more risk. This required thinking far beyond the conventional boundaries to address these emerging challenges. After a detailed and productive discussion with the activity coordinator, we designed some targeted activities aimed at achieving these objectives.

The Build Up

The board members were fully engaged in these activities, coming up with ingenious solutions to the challenges we presented. One of the highlights was constructing a four-foot-long bridge made of building bricks within half an hour, which supported two dozen eggs! Their creative problem-solving went beyond traditional methods, even incorporating the LEGO® boxes as part of the support structure. This inventive use of available resources brought smiles all around and encouraged a flow of creative ideas, setting a positive tone for the day’s more serious discussions.

The Breakdown

Working with this team was an absolute pleasure. Their excellent collaboration and resourcefulness in overcoming the challenges convinced me of their potential to succeed in the far more crucial goal of "Bridging the Gap" in 2023.

Take a look at some of the action below!