Icebreakers have a bad reputation for being stuffy and stressful. But when you have an early meeting or a conference call with a diverse group of employees, a simple icebreaker question can get the energy flowing. Rethink the traditional icebreaker. Develop questions that keep your teams relaxed but also inspire them to share things about themselves. A great icebreaker is not only relevant but requires people to share meaningful answers.
Here are 5 awesome icebreakers to help get your team chatting!
- If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing, what would it be? This question may sound superficial but it will give team members insight into what their coworkers enjoy outside of work.
- If you had to try out for a reality TV show, which one would you choose and why? Pop culture questions are fun. They get people laughing and connecting. Plus, you can learn a lot about a person from the type of reality TV they like.
- Who is the better businessman or business woman and why? Timberlake or Justin Bieber? Modify this question to fit your industry or the department you are working with. There may be critical thinking involved, but the veil of humour makes it fun.
- What was the worst job you ever had? A basic but personal question. Background information like work history helps teams understand one another. If two people had the same job, it will help boost camaraderie!
- What would your superpower be and why? Everyone loves a good superpower. A fun but insightful icebreaker, this question inspires teams to share what they value in a relaxed way.
The greatest thing about icebreaker questions is that they involve zero planning! Keep a list of icebreakers on hand. Use them to welcome new employees, boost morale mid-day, or start a stressful meeting.