Creativity, Agency and the Power of Dialogue – How Topaasia Helps People Act, Not Just Talk

“Creativity isn’t only about making new things. It’s about agency — the ability to act and respond to change.”

– Monika Sońta, Assistant Professor, Kozmiński University

Meet Monika Sońta – Researcher of Human Creativity in the Age of AI

Dr. Monika Sońta is an assistant professor at Kozmiński University in Warsaw, one of Europe’s top business schools. She studies creativity in the age of artificial intelligence — exploring how humans adapt, innovate, and find meaning as algorithms grow more capable. In addition to her research, Monika is an experienced facilitator of serious play methods like LEGO® Serious Play and Playmobil Pro. Her practical and academic experience converge around one key theme: how creativity fuels agency: the feeling that we can act, decide, and make a difference.

Creativity as Agency

“Creativity builds agency,” Monika says. “When people co-create, make decisions and participate, they feel empowered. They sense that what they do matters.”

In her view, creativity is not a luxury or an add-on to organizational life, but the psychological engine of adaptability. In the age of AI, where many processes become automated, human creativity becomes the key to maintaining ownership and meaning at work.

Flat Hierarchies, Real Empowerment

Monika distinguishes between feeling empowered and having agency. “In hierarchical organizations, even when people try to contribute, their input can go unheard,” she notes. “In flat, co-creative cultures, everyone, even junior employees, can influence how the organization evolves.

”Hierarchies restrict initiative. Dialogue, trust, and openness expand it. “ When people co-create their reality, engagement grows, resistance decreases, and appreciation of being part of something bigger increases.”

When Games Break Hierarchy

Research shows that Topaasia — a dialogue-based strategy and leadership game — helps level hierarchies in conversation. But what happens when such a system enters a very hierarchical organization?“ That’s where context matters,” Monika explains. “In hierarchical settings, authority dominates. There, Topaasia cards can work as knowledge-sharing tools — like visual slides filled with content. But in open, dialogic cultures, the same cards become co-creation tools. They spark reflection, decision-making, and collective learning.” She references the Austrian concept of enabling spaces: social environments designed to allow genuine dialogue.

“If you let people talk, the cards become starting points for meaningful conversations. If you only display them as information, you’ll miss the point.”

From Classrooms to Leadership Fields

Monika has used Topaasia in diverse environments, from academic courses to high-level HR events. In one foresight class of 60 international students, she used a Topaasia deck built around 15 global megatrends from the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies.
“Students voted, discussed, and reflected. They quickly realized they shared similar views,” she recalls. “The cards made invisible patterns visible.”
 
At the other extreme, she facilitated a Topaasia session for 100 HR directors at the Arłamów Business Challenge, a premium leadership event in Poland.
“Imagine a sunny golf field in the mountains and HR leaders discussing megatrends using Topaasia cards,” she smiles. “They connected global shifts to their organizational realities. The conversations were deep and thoughtful.”
The two sessions revealed a fascinating contrast: students wanted to move fast, scanning cards quickly, making instant choices. Senior leaders took their time reading carefully, reflecting deeply, valuing the nuance.
Her advice? “Know your audience. Younger groups thrive with larger decks and fast rounds. Experienced professionals prefer fewer cards and more space for reflection.”

Designing Meaningful Conversations

Based on years of facilitation, Monika shares four key tips for anyone designing or leading Topaasia sessions:
  • Explore existing decks: Review several ready-made decks to understand different ways to frame and structure discussions.
  • Build your own context: When generating cards with AI, upload your organization’s strategy, values and key terms. “People immediately recognize their world. It feels authentic, not generic.”
  • Facilitate with maturity: “Topaasia is not a gadget. It’s a reflective framework. The more confident and self-aware you are as a facilitator, the deeper the dialogue will go.”
  • Give people something tangible. “People love to own knowledge. Before using Topaasia, they asked for presentation slides. Now they ask: ‘Can we get the cards?’ Prepare post-session materials or summaries. It reinforces the value of the discussion.”

The Takeaway

For Monika, creativity and dialogue are deeply intertwined.

“When people are allowed to play, reflect, and talk, they don’t just contribute to business results — they feel they matter,” she concludes.

Tools like Topaasia help organizations turn talk into action — and transform creativity from an abstract value into lived agency.

:eight_spoked_asterisk: About Monika Sońta Assistant Professor at Kozmiński University, Warsaw. Researcher of creativity, facilitator of serious play methods, and advocate for dialogic learning in organizations. https://www.kozminski.edu.pl/en/community/card/phd-monika-sonta

:dart: About Topaasia Topaasia helps teams and organizations have structured, meaningful dialogues that drive insight and action — from strategy to leadership to culture.
:point_right: Learn more at topaasia.com/en