What Is a Good Ice Breaker for Team Meetings?

Break the ice at your next meeting.

To work productively as a team, team members need to feel comfortable. Ice breakers are the best way to jump start the process.

Team Participation

Team participation

Team meetings are successful when individual members willingly contribute ideas. The team is more likely to be productive and effective when all members participate.

The Key to a Successful Ice Breaker

A comfortable team

Ice breakers encourage participation. The key to a successful ice breaker is for it to be low risk enough that members will want to join in, yet have enough risk that participants venture slightly outside of their comfort zone.

The Birthday Ice Breaker

Teamwork achieved

The '"Birthday"' ice breaker is an ideal way to jump start a meeting. Have everyone stand in a line. In total silence they have one minute to reorganize in order of their birth month and day. Everyone's equal input is required in order for this activity to be successful. Team members will see that their input matters which will make them feel more comfortable and more willing to share their ideas.

References

• PCMA: New Directions in Learning
• Moving Beyond Ice Breakers: Interactive Meetings: Making Them Work
• Braingle: Icebreaker: Silent Birthday