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Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

  • 1.  Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-06-2023 09:18

    Hi all, let’s begin our next edition of the Tip of the Week discussion! Picture this: you walk into a room filled with strangers from various backgrounds, and the tension is palpable. So, how do you transform this chilly gathering into a warm, collaborative melting pot? The answer is simple: meeting icebreakers! 

     Take a look at some extraordinary meeting icebreakers to put everyone at ease. 

    Icebreakers for Virtual Meetings 

    Presenting some engaging virtual icebreakers perfect for bringing people together and breaking down barriers in online meetings.   

    1. Virtual Background Challenge 
    2. Online Quiz 
    3. Virtual Scavenger Hunt 

    Some examples of items or tasks for a Home Scavenger Hunt might include:  

    - Find a book that you've read more than once 
    - Take a selfie with a plant
    - Find a kitchen utensil that you've never used before
    - Find an item that starts with the letter "B. 

    4. Online Pictionary 

    Icebreakers for In-person Meetings 

    Here are some icebreakers perfect for creating a welcoming and interactive atmosphere during in-person meetings. 

    1. The One-Word Icebreaker 

    The One-Word Icebreaker can be adapted to suit different settings and purposes. For example, it can be used as an icebreaker activity to help team members get to know each other better 

    2. The Storytelling Chain 

    The first participant then adds their sentence to the story, and the next person continues the story by adding their sentence, and so on. The story moves around the circle, with each participant adding a sentence until it concludes.   

    3. The Human Knot 

    In this activity, participants stand in a circle, reach across, and grab the hands of two different people. The goal is to untangle the "knot" without releasing hands.   

    Here are some Icebreaker Questions for you; 

    • What is your favorite hobby, and how did you get into it? 

    • If you could have any superpower, what would it be, and why? 

    • What is the most memorable trip you've ever taken, and why was it memorable? 

    • What skill have you always wanted to learn but have not had the chance to? 

    • If you could invite three famous people (dead or alive) to a dinner party, who would they be? 

    • What is your favorite book or movie, and what do you like about it? 

    • What might people be surprised to learn about you? 

    • If you could travel anywhere, where would you go, and why? 

    • What is your favorite thing to do on a lazy day? 

    • If you could switch lives with anyone for a day, who would it be, and why? 

     Generally, icebreakers should last between 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the group and the activity itself.  Meetings don't have to be as exciting as watching paint dry! Bring on the icebreakers to get everyone engaged and comfortable and build relationships.   

    Questions for you:  

    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting?
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities?

    #CventTip


    #MeetingsManagement

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    Megha Jetley
    Manager
    Cvent Marketing Department
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  • 2.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-09-2023 11:29

    Questions for you:  

    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting? Get-to-know-you icebreaker questions.
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities? Involvement of everyone, with renewed engagement after the ice breaker session.


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    Cate Liverman
    Director- Constituent Relations
    UVA Medical Alumni Association and Medical School FoundationUnited States
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  • 3.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-11-2023 06:35
    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting?
      • We've hosted a "personal" scavenger hunt, where people had to find other individuals in the room that matched the attributes on their player's list, such as "Has lived in more than three different states"; "Has ridden an elephant"; "Has been married more than a decade"; "Has a birthday in August" etc. Each person they talked to could only sign next to one of their attributes, even if they matched up with multiple ones and we had prize drawings from completed lists.  
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities?
      • Are people participating and talking during the activity and more importantly, are they continuing to talk after its conclusion?


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    Tori Martinez
    Event Technology Specialist
    Direct Travel
    United States
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  • 4.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-11-2023 08:26
    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting? We don't technically have specific ice breaker questions, but we do go around the room and ask everyone to introduce themselves and where they work.
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities? We don't "measure" that, but engagement and networking of attendees are good indicators.


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    Lori Wildman
    Marketing Director
    lwildman@dmainc.com
    DuCharme, McMillen & Associates, Inc.United States
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  • 5.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-11-2023 09:28
    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting? Games that help to introduce attendees and encourage networking
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities? If attendees are laughing and having fun


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    Colleen Beck
    Director of Sales & Marketing
    The Westin Tampa Bay
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  • 6.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-11-2023 10:59
    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting? We typically don't do many, if any.  Sometimes we'll have a group icebreaker at tables and then have a representative from each table present to the full group - it tends to go quicker and reduces anxiety from introverts.
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities? Observe how many people mix and mingle with different groups post-session or on break


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    Julie-Michelle Davis, CMP
    Meetings Manager
    Amex GBT - USA
    Remote Location - Texas
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  • 7.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-11-2023 13:58
    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting? We did a virtual background challenge for our last meeting before the holidays - everyone found a background of their favorite holiday movie.
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities? The participation, and energy


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    Beth Vriesen
    Events Registration Admin
    Associated Bank Corporation
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  • 8.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-17-2023 07:14

    Questions for you:  

    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting? Get to know you better ice breakers 
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities? Attendee engagement 


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    Justina Hulen
    Events director
    RSLC
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  • 9.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-18-2023 10:04
    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting? We have played a game where you have to find your other half, one person gets Fred for example and has to find Wilma, or it could be Ginger, which makes things really interesting.
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities? If it's a good icebreaker you can feel the vibe shift in the room after the game is over, you may see people smiling and interacting more than they were before hand, which often carries over into the rest of the event.


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    Denise Slee
    Meeting Technology Specialist
    World TravelUnited States
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  • 10.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-18-2023 10:40
    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting? We don't have ice breaker questions.  We do ask the participants to go around the room, introduce yourself and give us a fun fact or something no one knows about you.  
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities? We don't measure the success of it.  


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    Susan Harrison
    Meeting & Event Manager
    Atlas Travel Meetings & IncentivesUnited States
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  • 11.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-20-2023 09:08

    Questions for you:  

    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting? As Brits, we arent the most excited by an ice breaker, but one I've seen work really well is in a large room of people, everyone choses someone to play a game of rock, paper sizzors, and then the winner plays another person, so on and so forth until theres a winner crowned at the end.
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities? Laughter and smiles!

    #CventTip


    #MeetingsManagement



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    Megan Pears
    Events Manager
    Advanced Business Software and Solutions LtdUnited Kingdom
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  • 12.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 01-02-2024 16:29
    Edited by Amy Zientek 01-02-2024 16:29

    We don't typically do a lot of ice breakers simply due to meeting size, but I love the rock, paper, scissors idea!!  So very different from the standard ice breakers we all encounter.



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    Amy Zientek
    Director Of Sales
    Visit Lubbock The Convention and Visitors Bureau

    United States
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  • 13.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-27-2023 11:03
    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting?  Games to get the attendees to interact with each other.
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities? interaction


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    Mary Ann Hall
    Event Specialist
    Federal Reserve System
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  • 14.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-27-2023 12:48

    We usually don't use a ton of icebreaker activities due to the nature of our meetings but I really liked these ideas!



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    Kayla Sisco
    Event Experience Manager
    Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, Inc.United States
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  • 15.  RE: Tips and ideas for Engaging Meeting Icebreakers

    Posted 12-29-2023 09:11
    • What type of icebreaker activities do you use while hosting a meeting? Internally, we do fun things with our backgrounds and different themes. I really like the skill question, and plan to use that in an upcoming meeting!
    • How do you measure the success of icebreaker activities? If people are engaged, looking at the screen asking questions.


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    Beth Vriesen
    Events Registration Admin
    Associated Bank Corporation
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