The boss explains how small wooden figures make visible what often remains unspoken in meetings – and why exactly that has changed his thinking.
I admit it: As a boss, I'm not a fan of workshops.
I like clear instructions , Excel spreadsheets , and results .
And then my team leader Lisa comes in, with a bag in her hand.
"Boss, we're doing something new today."
I have a bad feeling about this .
Colorful wooden figures tumble out of the box – 32 pieces.
"Colorful Systembrett Pro figures from ideen.kollektiv," she says enthusiastically, pushing the bag over to me.
I think: Aha. Wooden toys for adults.
She says: "We want to make structures visible ."
I say: "I see structures. In the account."
She laughs. I don't.
The beginning of chaos in color
Lisa distributes the figures: red, blue, green, yellow.
"Everyone chooses one that suits their role."
I'll reach for red – obviously. Boss.
Jens takes blue, Britta green, and the intern Marie grabs yellow.
"Why yellow?" I ask.
"Because it looks pretty," she says.
That was the moment I realized that this workshop could become dangerously honest.
Each figure has a card slot where a card is placed.
Then Lisa lays out cards: Responsibility , Communication , Motivation .
"Write down how you see yourselves."
I write: "Line" .
Jens writes: “Overwhelmed” .
Britta writes: “Team spirit” .
Marie writes: "I actually wanted to paint" .
The team laughs. Me too. (A little.)
The system speaks
After ten minutes, our office is standing on the table in miniature:
I (in red) am standing far in front, alone .
The team (in a colorful array) is huddled together in a corner.
"That's exciting," says Lisa.
I say: "This is worrying."
And then she does something unforgivable: she moves me closer to the team .
"This feels wrong," I say.
“Exactly,” she says, “the system is wrong.”
The characters don't speak, but they show everything.
When wood is more honest than words
I swear: These small, colorful figures taught me more about my team in 20 minutes than three years of quarterly reports.
Red wants to lead , but also to belong .
Blue wants peace and quiet , but is overlooked .
Green mediates , yellow laughs , and together they all act like a jazz band without a conductor.
Then comes the magic moment: Lisa says we should switch positions .
I'm going to the middle.
Jens moves forward.
Suddenly I feel... relieved .
“Boss, you look more relaxed ,” says Britta.
I briefly consider whether I can keep the figure.
Colors with side effects
I never would have thought that colors could say so much .
🔴 Red = active, leading.
🔵 Blue = reflective, calm.
🟢 Green = uniting, team spirit.
🟡 Yellow = creative, playful.
And me? I was a mixture of everything – a paint box with stress pimples.
Now I see: My role as a leader was just one color among many .
And the board doesn't show who is in front , but who is connected .
I like that. (A little.)
The day after
I'm coming to the office.
The figure is still there.
Jens rearranged the figures.
Me: "What is that?"
He: "The new weekly goal."
Me: “What?”
He: “ Move closer together .”
I nod. No PowerPoint, no meeting. Just some wooden figures – and suddenly everyone understands what to do .
from skeptic to fan
🎨 The colors (red, blue, green, yellow) are based on common communication models – but are effective even without a psychology degree.
🧩 Each character has a card slot. That's where we insert our roles – and our egos along with them.
💬 The system board originates from therapy and coaching . Today it is an anti-stress tool for managers with too many emails.
💪 The figures are made of beech wood. More stable than some top management decisions.
Conclusion – I admit it.
I came as the boss. I left as a pawn with insights.
And that was a good thing.
Because you only see how a system works when you lay it out in front of you.
Since then, I say the following with every new project:
“Guys, before we discuss this – get the figures! ”
