Effective icebreakers for meetings and conferences

13 Sep 2024

Have you ever found yourself in a meeting where the atmosphere was so tense you could hear a pin drop? Or have you ever been in a group conversation where no one really seemed involved? Then icebreakers for your meeting are the perfect solution! Icebreakers are activities or questions that help participants to talk to each other in a relaxed atmosphere. In this blog post we share practical tips and examples of icebreakers to get your meeting off to a good start.


Importance of icebreakers

Icebreakers are essential to get conversations started and improve the atmosphere in a meeting. Especially in formal or tense settings, icebreakers can make participants feel more comfortable and communicate more easily with each other. By using an icebreaker during your meeting, training or workshop, you create a positive start to the meeting and increase the involvement of the participants.

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Types of icebreakers

There are different types of icebreakers that you can use, depending on the group composition and the desired atmosphere. Consider, for example, personal icebreakers, where participants have to share something about themselves, or quick icebreakers intended to increase the energy in the group. Deep icebreakers can create more connection between participants, while strange icebreakers put a smile on everyone's face. Work-related icebreakers are ideal for meetings where you want participants to get started right away. An example of a personal icebreaker is to ask participants about their favorite holiday destination and why. For a quick icebreaker, you can ask participants to tell you in one sentence what they are thinking about at that moment. For a deep icebreaker, you can ask questions that require more reflection, such as what their biggest life lesson has been so far.
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Apply icebreakers in various settings

Icebreakers can be applied in different contexts, such as meetings, group discussions, training and even virtual gatherings. For example, in a meeting you can start with a quick icebreaker to actively involve participants immediately, while in a training you can use deeper icebreakers to let participants reflect on the topic. This ensures that the participants get to know each other in a different way, which has a positive effect on the group dynamics. This strengthens mutual ties, which contributes to team building.

Choice and duration of icebreakers

It is important to choose the right icebreaker based on your audience and the goals of your meeting. Another factor that can contribute to the success of the meeting is selecting an inspiring meeting location. Holding a meeting at an external location can add a fresh dynamic and help participants break free from their daily routine. Be sure that the icebreaker doesn’t take too long so it can effectively achieve its purpose without consuming too much time. Think of about 15 minutes. A good icebreaker in a stimulating meeting location helps get participants moving and initiates conversation, without overshadowing the main goal of the meeting.

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Practical examples of icebreakers

  • Tell something funny that you once experienced.

  • In one sentence, tell us what your superpower would be if you could choose one.

  • Share a personal goal that you would like to achieve in the coming year.

  • 'Guess the emotion': Have each person in the group draw a card with an emotion written on it, such as happy, sad or surprised. They must then try to portray this emotion without saying anything, and the rest of the group must guess which emotion it is. This can provide laugh-out-loud moments and be a fun way to break the atmosphere. 

With these practical examples of icebreakers you can get started right away to increase the atmosphere and involvement during meetings and meetings. Try one of the icebreakers and discover how it positively influences the dynamics of the meeting! 

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