Lego figure with a helmet in a car

#BeYouWithUs - Building Teams, Brick by Brick

LEGO toys have captivated Svetlana Rajacic, a Magna HR Manager in Serbia, for years. But her fascination with the plastic building blocks is not always about fun and games.

As a LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method facilitator, she helps her colleagues enhance their business performance, problem-solving skills and imagination through workshops that focus on play. The iconic Danish toy company said organizations use the methodology to "unlock the full potential of their employees – and to encourage everyone to participate, contribute and commit to the solution."

While the bricks teach children the fundamentals of construction and creativity, they also promote lifelong learning. Rajacic said by fostering a builder’s instinct, the LEGO workshops tap into the Magna Core Value “think big”. The childhood favorite also plays well with collaboration and team building.

“We start with simple tasks, such as building a tower,” she explained. “Then we build a model of the team. Colors take on special meaning. A story emerges. Everyone in the workshop can ask questions, and share thoughts and feelings.”

Svetlana Rajacic standing with flower arrangement made with LEGO®

She introduced the workshops to her HR team at the Magna division in Aleksinac, Serbia, in March 2023, and will roll them out to the division’s management in August 2024 to boost communication and help to define strategy. The 1,000-employee division produces seat trim covers for a European automaker.

Group of people sitting at a table working with LEGO®
LEGO® creation on a table

Rajacic has passed the love of LEGOS to her six-year-old son Bogdan while still connecting with the toys herself. The two recently built a LEGO toy model of the Earth, Sun and Moon in orbit. Last November, she completed The Starry Night LEGO kit, a 2,316-piece version of the iconic painting by Vincent van Gogh. Besides being a facilitator, Rajacic is an AFOL, an “Adult Fan of LEGO,” a popular phrase used by the company to describe lifelong LEGO lovers.

“LEGOs inspire innovation. When our hands are busy, our brains work better.”

Painting recreated in LEGO®
Svetlana Rajacic standing in front of a large sized LEGO® figure

“LEGOs inspire innovation,” she said. “When our hands are busy, our brains work better. Besides, when I play with them, I feel at peace.” 

What drives your innovative thinking and inspires you to come up with fresh ideas? 

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