The phrase “Let’s get started with an icebreaker” will inevitably be followed by groans and mumbles or shouts of “I hate icebreakers!” from your participants. Yet, breaking the ice at the beginning of a workshop or presentation is an essential ingredient to building rapport between audience members and establishing a relationship between the audience and you.
Choose an Icebreaker Related to Your Content
The first step is choosing an activity that is related somehow to your content and sets an appropriate tone for the remainder of your time with your audience. Here is a list of sixteen icebreaking activities that you may keep you from screaming ‘I hate icebreakers!‘
Five Questions About Your Icebreaker
Once you think you have an icebreaker that’s going to work for you, here is a list of five questions you’ll want to ask before you finalize your choice of an icebreaker.
I Hate Icebreakers Bracket Challenge
In the spirit of the Sweet 16 stage of the NCAA basketball tournament, I’ve concocted a little game – a bracket challenge – if you’d like some help narrowing your selection of icebreaking activity.You can fill out the I Hate Icebreakers Bracket here. If you do decide to take me up on this bracket challenge, I’d love to hear which ice-breaking activity would be your champion. Drop a line in the comment section.
Do you hate icebreakers? Do you have a preferred ice-breaking activity that didn’t make it to my Sweet Sixteen list? Let’s hear about it in the comment section below.
