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November 2023

Know-how

37 Effective Icebreakers for Meetings

Have you ever been in that awkward situation where no one of your team members is talking during a call? Thankfully, there is an easy way to avoid that. We have gathered the best questions for you to break the ice in every meeting!

Kajetan
Content Creator
Overview

Today, we'll share with you some fantastic conversation starters that will:

Sounds interesting? Then, let's dive right in.

Why are Icebreaker Questions Important?

According to Zippia, 39% of team members have fallen asleep during work meetings. That's quite surprising, right? But no worries, there's a fun and effective way to encourage team members to be more engaged in meetings and team-oriented.

Using fun icebreaker games and/or questions can help spark conversations, build trust, and create a friendly atmosphere among team members, which is especially important when working with remote teams. So why not give it a try?

Icebreaker games can really come in handy, as they allow you to explore a wide range of topics (though we'll touch on some that may not be suitable later on in this article). You can have some fun focusing on different things, like your favorite movies or the most productive habits.

Now that we've covered the basics, let's move on to the more practical part of this article.

Best Icebreaker Questions

11 Work-Related Questions

If you want an engaging and productive work discussion among team members, it's all about asking the right questions. You can address any concerns, get answers to things you might not have thought of, and even spark some interesting dialogues.

Keep the questions below in mind, and you'll be on your way to a great conversation!

How do you stay focused during the call?

Maintaining focus during virtual meetings can be challenging. However, there are ways to overcome this challenge, such as using an AI assistant like jamie to take notes. You can share this tip and other techniques with each team member to make sure everyone stays involved in meetings.

What are your tips for working from home?

With more and more of us setting up offices in our homes, it can be insightful to hear how others navigate these new waters. Sharing personal tips and tricks might provide someone with the solution they've been searching for!

How do you prioritize your tasks when everything is important?

Balancing a multitude of tasks can often seem like a juggling act. Hearing how another team member ranks their tasks can offer fresh perspectives and effective strategies to adopt in our own work lives.

Do you think that we have too many meetings?

This question opens up a discussion about online meetings and new methods to improve productivity. It's a valuable opportunity to share thoughts and possibly come up with innovative ideas to improve communication skills among team members and optimize the time available for work.

What part of your daily routine are you most satisfied with?

Discussing the highs of our day-to-day life encourages positive reflection. It also provides a window into our lives outside work, promoting understanding and friendship among team members.

How do you fight procrastination?

Procrastination can be a real roadblock. Sharing our strategies for overcoming it can provide another team member with new ways to stay motivated and maintain productivity.

What's the best career advice you've ever received?

Discussing the best career advice we've received allows for an exciting exchange of insights and experiences. This is a great icebreaker game for team building as it fosters an opportunity to learn from one another and bond over (similar) career experiences and insights.

How do you keep your workspace organized?

A well-organized workspace can significantly impact productivity. Sharing our personal hacks can offer other team members easy-to-implement ideas to improve their work environments.

What motivates you to work?

Understanding what drives us and another team member can help foster a sense of purpose and inspiration. Sharing our motivators invites a deeper understanding of each other's aspirations and work ethic. This question can be an active part of team-building activities.

Is there a subject you have always wanted to raise but never had a chance?

This question creates a platform for open dialogue, encourages transparency, and reinforces that every voice matters.

What's a project you're most proud of?

Sharing our proudest achievements not only allows us to celebrate our victories but also helps others understand what kind of tasks we find fulfilling. This is a great icebreaker game for team bonding as it fosters a deeper understanding of one another.

9 Creative Questions

Finally, we'll talk about some fantastic thought-provoking questions that will brighten everyone's day with creativity. So let's head right into it:

If you could dedicate your life to solving one problem, what problem would you choose?

This question helps us see what matters most to each team member. It can trigger meaningful conversations about what we want to change in the world.

What's the most significant technological advancement you hope to see in your lifetime?

Our answers to this question can reveal our hopes for the future and spark interesting chats about the role of technology in society. You can discuss innovative AI tools, robotics, and various other advancements.

What would it be if you could instantly become an expert in something?

This question uncovers our hidden interests and dreams, helping us understand other team members better. Who knows, we might even realize that one team member can support another in developing certain skills, thus further fostering team building.

Can you share a favorite book, song, or film and why it inspires you?

Sharing pieces of art that move us gives us a glimpse into what each of us values and finds inspiring.

What would it be if you could live in a book, TV show, or movie?

This question is a fun way to share the stories we love and find out more about our teammates' tastes and imaginations.

What invention do you think the world needs most right now?

By asking this, we encourage each other to think about how to improve the world and share our innovative ideas.

To make answering this question easier, you could start with inventions and innovations that could make, for example, your team meeting more effective and productive. Who knows, a team member might answer the introduction of agendas, or AI assistants such as jamie here.

If you had unlimited resources, what would you create?

This is a fun way to dream big and learn more about what your team members are passionate about.

If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be and why?

Sharing our favorite characters can lead to exciting conversations about why we connect with certain narratives and values. This can be a good example of team-building activities that you might introduce at the beginning of your next team meeting.

Tip: let other group members guess what fictional character the others might choose. Of course, a right guess brings in some bonus points.

If you could speak to everyone in the world at the same time, what would you say?

This question lets us share our most important messages and beliefs, helping us feel more connected to each other.

10 Growth and Health-Related Questions

Starting conversations about our personal growth and well-being can be a great way to encourage healthy habits.

Here are some ideas to help get the ball rolling:

What's one healthy habit you're proud of?

It's really important to acknowledge the positive things we do for ourselves and celebrate our progress. Plus, sharing our healthy habits can inspire others to adopt them too!

What's your best way to relax after a busy day?

Remember that everyone deals with stress in their own way - by asking this question, you might discover new and helpful techniques for managing stress that you never knew existed.

productivity board with tasks

How do you stay active throughout the day?

Getting the blood pumping and our bodies moving can do wonders for our well-being. Sharing how we squeeze in those little bursts of activity during a busy day can offer fresh ideas and inspire others to follow our example!

There is nothing better than an icebreaker game that encourage team members to move their body and work on healthy habits. Who knows, maybe we might find that half of the team members like to run on the weekend. Why not start a running club and turn this into a team-building activity?

What's one book/movie that changed your perspective on life?

We've all stumbled across a story that shook us to our core and perhaps even changed how we see the world. By sharing these, we're opening up about our values, and beliefs and might even introduce others to their next favorite read or watch.

What new skill or hobby have you picked up recently?

Life is a continuous learning journey, and there's nothing quite as exhilarating as mastering something new. We can motivate each other to step out of our comfort zones by discussing our latest achievements.

What's the last thing you do before bed and the first after you wake up?

The way we plan our day can say a lot about us. Whether it's a pre-bedtime ritual or a morning routine that sets the tone for the day, sharing these can offer fascinating insights into our personal lives and might even inspire someone to adopt a new habit!

How do you strike a work-life balance?

Sharing our strategies can offer others a fresh perspective on managing their time and responsibilities, providing a platform for mutual support.

If you could learn anything, what would it be?

This question invites us to dream a little and reveal our hidden aspirations. Discussing these learning imaginations might just be the nudge someone needs to start a new chapter and learn something new.

What action has improved your health the most?

Sometimes, it's the simplest of actions that have the most profound impact on our well-being. Sharing these personal victories with another group member can be the spark someone else needs to start living healthily.

What's one habit you wish to adopt in the next month?

By discussing the habits we want to adopt, we're setting accountability for ourselves and maybe even finding a buddy who shares the same goal.

7 Fun Questions

If your (virtual) meetings seem to be a bit tense, why not try injecting some humor into the conversation? These questions will help you with introducing fun icebreaker activities to the group while lightening the mood and creating a more relaxed atmosphere in the workplace.

Is there a TV show that you've watched way too many times?

We've all got that one show we can't get enough of. Sharing our screen addictions can lead to hilarious revelations, some serious series recommendations, and a whole lot of bonding over shared favorites!

What would it be if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life?

This question is a fun way to talk about our absolute favorites on the menu and perhaps even discover a new must-try dish.

Why not let other team members guess which food the next person might choose? We sometimes know our colleagues better than they think we do.

Who would you be if you were a character in any TV show or movie?

Tapping into our imaginary selves is a great way to learn about each other's ideal personas. It sparks off fun, lively discussions about why we resonate with certain characters, all while promoting good vibes.

What's the funniest thing that happened to you recently?

Laughter is indeed the best medicine, and by sharing our recent chuckle-worthy experiences, we're spreading those joy vibes all around. Plus, who doesn't love a good story that makes him laugh?

What's the weirdest fact you know?

Unleashing our inner trivia geek is always fun! This question can lead to an exchange of strange, astonishing, or hilarious facts that keep the conversation lively and fascinating.

If you had a time machine, where and when would you go?

This question is a time-travel ticket to our wishes and curiosity about the past or future. Bonus points are handed out to anyone with a creative answer.

If you could instantly become an expert in something, what would it be?

This question is asking you to dream a little! Imagine if you could just snap your fingers and become a pro at anything you want – what fascinating thing would that be?

balloons in the conference room

What Questions to Avoid?

If you want to create valuable connections and establish good relationships, it's important to keep in mind the types of questions you ask.

Avoid questions that could be too personal or reveal sensitive information about someone's life or finances. And steer clear of topics like politics, religion, or current events that could divide the group.

Avoiding questions and icebreaker activities that might make someone uncomfortable due to their age, cultural background, or lifestyle is also a good idea.

Instead, ask open-ended questions that encourage sharing, reflection, and engagement. These are more likely to spark interesting conversations and get everyone involved.

Wrap-Up - Make Your Meetings Fun and Productive

Great job! You now have a bunch of fantastic conversation starters that will take your discussions to the next level and make your meetings even more enjoyable.

Some other tips you might want to consider for icebreaker games are: two truths and a lie games, a personality quiz, speed networking activities among team members, one-word icebreaker games, and the marshmallow challenge.

But despite any icebreaker activity you decide to engage in, always keep in mind that you want to engage everyone right at the start of your meeting. That means trying to break the team into small groups to have everyone participate.

With these fun strategies and helpful tools, you'll take your meetings from average to outstanding in no time. Good luck with your next call - let’s break the ice!

But remember, it's the 21st century, and you don't have to do everything yourself. Especially with team meetings, it can be quite overwhelming trying to handle it all by yourself. Why not focus on breaking the ice and keeping everyone engaged throughout the meeting?

Other tasks such as meeting note-taking can be handled by AI-powered productivity tools like jamie, which will make your meetings even more effective.

virtual AI assistant with automated meeting notes - official jamie website

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