Thomas Sowell said, “people who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything.” Meetings are often the only way to get things done when you have a group working toward the same goal. Ice breakers help participants connect more effectively, which leads to better collaboration. Whether you’re in a virtual meeting or in the conference room, an icebreaker prepares the group for the tasks by giving them a mental break and to build rapport. Use free teams backgrounds to reduce distractions.
Allow Your Team To Have Fun
Meetings can often be dry and boring, but a little fun before the meeting actually starts can create a relaxed environment. An ice breaker can help participants share ideas and participate more fully in the business. Ice breakers bring the focus of the participants into the meeting, which can help them change gears to be thinking about the task at hand. For an ice breaker large group virtual meeting, try simple ice breakers that won’t take long or use breakout rooms to make smaller groups.
Cultivate Personal Bonds
If you’re new to the group, using Google meet virtual background can be an ice breaker on its own. The more personal the background, the more you can learn about each other. Ice breakers prepare the team for collaborative work by letting them work together on a fun project before delving into the harder work. Ice breakers are great to help participants take ownership of their own attitudes before the meeting. And a good ice breaker can be an excellent segue into the real work.
Getting Started With Ice Breakers
Ice breakers are often thought of as introductions or a “get to know you” activity, but they don’t have to be. If you have a group that has been working together for a while, you may need to revamp your ideas about ice breakers. Use an ice breaker that sets the tone for the meeting. In-person meetings can use the Marshmallow Game. Groups are given 20 spaghetti sticks, a marshmallow, tape and string. Set a timer for 15 minutes and tell them to build a structure that puts the marshmallow on top.
It might be more challenging to break the ice in a virtual meeting, but it can be done. Ask each participant to tell the group what city they live in, without actually saying the name of the town, for example.
Read the Group
If the group doesn’t seem to be interested in the ice breaker, have a plan B. Pay attention to their body language or facial expressions. Either move on or try something different. Don’t use ice breakers at each meeting. Sometimes, people just want to get down to business and get through the meeting. Don’t take it personally. And if someone seems uncomfortable, don’t push the issue. The goal of ice breakers is to break down barriers, not put them up. Let people bow out gracefully. Don’t create embarrassment or awkwardness. Ice breakers can be fun, but when the group isn’t interested, just move on.
