Building culture, one conversation at a time: Meet Amy 👋
For Amy, being a Playground Builder is about creating an environment where colleagues feel empowered to grow, connect, and contribute. As a Skills Development Manager at our new manufacturing site in Virginia, she’s helping shape the foundation of a huge operation, using the Leadership Playground framework to guide the way.
"I knew I had to be part of it"
When Amy first learned that a LEGO® factory was coming to Virginia, USA, she made a bold statement to her husband:
“As soon as the press release hit that the LEGO Group was coming to Virginia, I told my husband – ‘I am going to work there.’ It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I am so grateful to be able to bring my skills and passion to our mission.”
As a Learning and Development specialist, Amy saw an opportunity not just to take on a new role but to help build an entire workplace culture from the ground up. The Leadership Playground felt like a perfect fit.
Rooting a New Site in a Strong Culture
Amy immediately recognised that the Leadership Playground wasn’t just another corporate framework—it was something deeply woven into our DNA.
“When I learned about the Leadership Playground in my onboarding, it was an ‘a-ha moment’. Here is a simple, approachable, flexible, yet deep and challenging leadership framework that is not from an outside consultancy, but homegrown and developed from the core values of the LEGO Group.”
She knew that for the Virginia site to thrive, these values had to be embraced from day one.
Small Moments, Big Impact.
For Amy, creating a thriving culture isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about everyday interactions.
“When I think of the daunting task of building a culture, it really comes down to how you interact day-to-day, not grand sweeping gestures. The Leadership Playground is alive and well when we hear statements like, ‘I am going to be brave here and share my idea,’ or ‘I have a curious question so I can better understand the root cause.’ These conversations are commonplace at the LEGO Group, and you hear them daily.”
This mindset shift has helped foster an environment where colleagues feel comfortable taking risks and learning together.
"Being Brave is Everything Right Now
"As a new colleague, helping to build a brand-new site, each behaviour is critical. We are naturally curious as we test and learn, we must stay focused as so many priorities compete for our attention, we must be brave as we speak up and take risks to do something unprecedented.”
One of her proudest moments came when she and her team took an innovative approach to onboarding new employees.
“When we were bringing in our first core team of leaders for the packing team, a small but mighty team had to work across locations and time zones to create an onboarding experience that would set our new hires up for success in their roles and in the culture of the LEGO Group. Being brave, we took the foundations of what exists and reimagined what could be.”
The results spoke for themselves.
“Our participants shared that it was the best onboarding they had ever had, they knew they made the right decision, and they couldn’t wait to build a career right here at the LEGO Group. Mission accomplished.”
A Community of Builders
Amy believes that the Leadership Playground is a key part of what makes the LEGO culture so special.
“The responsibility of fostering a culture as unique as the Leadership Playground cannot fall on one or even a few. Many inspired and engaged builders must bring their diverse experience, perspectives, and energy to make it real.”
By modelling the behaviours of being brave, curious, and focused, Playground Builders create an environment where people feel valued, supported, and encouraged to do their best work.
More than a job, it’s a mission
For Amy, being part of the Leadership Playground has reaffirmed why she wanted to work at the LEGO Group in the first place.
“When you join the LEGO Group, you know you are not just joining any organisation. You are joining one of the strongest and most beloved brands and missions on the planet. Being a Playground Builder gives me a unique opportunity to invest in this brand and mission in a focused way.”
