How Can You Break The Ice In Meetings?

Breaking the ice at work in a meaningful way isn’t an easy task. However, there are several icebreakers that you can use to facilitate team building and make others feel comfortable in the workplace. Whether you are remote or in person, thoughtful icebreakers can bring people closer together.

By Timothy Mably ?

It can be uncomfortable to break the ice in an unfamiliar environment like a work meeting. Whether it be a small group or an all-hands meeting. Bosses, supervisors, or co-workers may incorporate an icebreaker activity to initiate a discussion. However, it is likely to feel awkward and can even be unproductive. You can take the lead in such situations by breaking the ice on your own, regardless of your position.?

Anyone with leadership skills should work towards cultivating a comfortable atmosphere where people feel seen. A good icebreaker creates a bonding opportunity and facilitates professional relationships. Whether it’s in the form of a question or a game, morale can be strengthened when employees feel like they can relate to each other.

It also increases engagement among workers. According to Gallup , engaged workers put in more work with 17% increased productivity. Highly engaged companies with this level of engagement have 59% less turnover. As a result, customers and clients have increased their ratings by 10% and sales improved by 20%. Icebreakers are a simple way for employers to tell workers they care about maintaining a positive work culture.

During a LinkedIn Learning course, leadership and development expert Carolyn Goerner speaks on the potential of a good icebreaker. She says , “When members of a team feel safe sharing their inner layers, honest communication happens. They learn to trust and depend on one another and they're more creative and committed. But this doesn't happen automatically. Team members need to learn that it's safe to share their inner selves.”?

Goerner emphasizes the experience of others in a meeting. When there is a group of 10 people, keep in mind that each person has 9 others to get to know. This process of team building can take many years. Although you have an important role to play by orchestrating an icebreaker, do not worry about taking on too much of a burden.?

Icebreaker Questions

When planning a meeting either in person or virtually, those attending may expect cliche icebreaker questions they have heard before. Certain questions may not be engaging and can be unhelpful in breaking the ice. It’s possible they have answered the same prompts multiple times, which means that you should be thoughtful while creating new questions.?

Broad lighthearted questions like “what kind of a superpower would you like to have?” may not help anyone get to know each other. Instead, consider direct questions that are likely to bring out individual personalities: “What would you like to talk about that you normally don’t have the chance to elaborate on?”?

Without asking questions that are too personal, think of fun conversation starters that are likely to have an immediate response. For example, “What are you most excited about on your bucket list?” This question allows others to open up about their general aspirations which might involve travel, concerts, professional goals, or many other things. Not only does this prompt allow for someone to explain a part of themselves, but it also allows for others to find a point of connection.?

An icebreaker should make people feel seen and heard. Whether or not they can relate to others’ answers, a question has the power to get people out of their comfort zone. It can also be impactful to bring up the past with questions like, “What was your first job?” or “What were you most passionate about growing up?” or “What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid?” These questions may not hold significance in the moment, but they allow people to share a part of their lives they wouldn’t otherwise.?

Icebreaker Games

Depending on the environment of a meeting, incorporating icebreaker games may be a better idea than just asking questions. This can be particularly relevant for virtual icebreakers, as they will be more engaging than questions and answers through a screen. Games can elicit more of a response and convey a light mood.

A popular icebreaker game is “two truths and a lie," which allows people to share two facts about themselves and a lie about their lives. It becomes interactive as others try to guess which statement is fabricated. The answer may end up surprising people which helps the icebreaker to be memorable.?

Other icebreaker activities like “show and tell" can also provide a chance for people to share about themselves and make a lasting impression. Although it may seem overly simple, this will allow someone to be creative and share only what they are comfortable with. This will build trust as they recognize they are free to express themselves in the capacity they prefer.?

You can also add a theme to show and tell to create an opportunity for employees to recognize things they have in common. This may involve sharing a photo related to a favorite band, a favorite holiday memory, or a favorite food they have in their fridge. Virtual show and tell can also be done through screen sharing.?

Show and tell offers itself for reinvention and can be modified in other ways. For instance, instead of sharing an item one person at a time, consider sharing photos all at once. Then, attendees can guess which photo belongs to who. This can be especially engaging with childhood photos for teams that do not know each other.

On the popular YouTube talk show Hot Ones, interviewer Sean Evans finds photos of celebrities on their Instagram which they have to explain. Everyone has photos that don’t seem to make sense out of context, so asking for pictures that require further explanation can be a fun task.

Breaking the ice in meetings is not always an easy job. By finding lighthearted and engaging ways for employees to get to know each other, you can help facilitate team building. Although workers may brush off the idea of icebreakers as a cheesy formality, it doesn’t have to be a hurdle to jump through. A good icebreaker can be an opportunity to establish relationships and contribute to a positive workplace culture.

Top Takeaways

Do you know how you can break the ice in meetings?

• Consider intentional questions which will help people get to know each other that they may not be used to.
• Find lighthearted and fun questions that may be relevant to their past.
• Virtual icebreakers may require other activities for engagement, like “two truths and a lie” or “show and tell.”