Conversation Starters: Icebreakers

What is an icebreaker?

An icebreaker is a type of activity or conversation starter that is used to help people get to know each other and build rapport in a group setting.

Why use an icebreaker?

Icebreakers are often used in social or business events, such as meetings, workshops, or conferences, to help participants feel more comfortable and engaged. They can be as simple as asking people to introduce themselves and share a fun fact about themselves, or as structured as a group game or activity that requires teamwork and collaboration. The goal of an icebreaker is to create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere and encourage people to interact and connect with one another.

There are different types of icebreakers – so choose icebreakers that suit the group (or will help you meet your objectives). Different icebreakers will be used in large groups or with people who don’t know each other compared to smaller team meetings where everyone works together.

In-Person Icebreaker Ideas

Here are some suggested Icebreaker activities that you might like to try if you haven’t already:

• Charades: Charades is a classic icebreaker game that is a great way to get people to interact and have fun together, especially if they don’t know each other well.
• Scavenger hunt: This icebreaker takes a bit more planning, but in some cases it’s worth it to get people moving before (or as part of) a meeting. Hide clues around the office that guide people to a final location.
• Speed Networking: Pair everyone up with someone they don’t know. Have them ask each other questions to learn about each other’s work experiences, hobbies, and interests. You can let everyone have a freeform conversation or point them in a certain direction with a few prompts.
• Mini meditation: Bring a bit of zen into the office by giving your team two to five minutes to have a mini meditation or reflect in silence. Then go round the group and ask everyone share something, for example, their goal for the week.
• Things in common: Set a timer for five or 10 minutes and try to come up with 3 things in common between all the people in the meeting.
• Personal best: Go around the room and have everyone share a personal best or success story (depending on how frequently this group gets together, you can share accomplishments from the last week or even the last year or two).
• Telephone: where one person whispers a message to another and it gets passed down the line
• Two truths and a lie: Each person shares three statements about themselves, and the group has to guess which one is a lie.
• Word association: The first person says a word, and then each person has to say a word that is related to the previous word.
• Describe in one word: If you’re leading the meeting, plan a few prompts people can respond to in one word.
• Find someone who: Each person has to find someone in the group who fits a certain criteria, such as “find someone who has been to a foreign country” or “find someone who has a unique hobby.”
• Never have I ever: where each person shares something they have never done before.
• Team-building activities: You can use activities like building a tower out of marshmallows and spaghetti or solving a puzzle as a group to break the ice.
• Drawing challenges
• Bowl of questions: Write out questions on slips of paper and put them in a bowl. Take turns picking the questions out of the bowls and have everyone answer them.
• Recognise colleague wins: Everyone in the room has to share a positive note—a work-related compliment or congratulations—about the person sitting to their right.

If you have any other icebreaker ideas or you have a particular favourite – please share in the comments.