Icebreakers Don't Have to be Cringe

Here's how I fixed them

What’s your favorite movie?

If you ask me at work - my answer is Aladdin.

If you actually know me - it’s anything with Nicolas Cage.

Saved you a click: Google says Shawshank Redemption or The Green Mile

And that’s the problem with most icebreakers. Icebreakers incentivize you to pick the work-appropriate version of every answer. It’s like a real world version of Severance where you need to pick the corporate-appropriate version of yourself to reveal.

Am I overthinking it? Probably.

Me after spending 47 minutes brainstorming my two truths and a lie. Photo by Jackson Simmer on Unsplash

Icebreakers also open a door to derailing your meeting.

In a perfect utopia, I can see where it sounds like a good idea to ask an innocuous question to get a meeting started to build instant camaraderie. Then the meeting team can quickly bond around common interests and emerge stronger and ready to tackle the brainstorming session.

I just have never seen this perfect utopia materialize in real life. Maybe I’m unlucky. Maybe there are too many folks like me who overthink the question and give the top google search answer after a few moments of typing away in our phones in silence.

More often than not, I also see the other side of icebreakers.

The exhausting side of icebreakers.

Where someone wants to talk for 150 years about their very nuanced take on film and delay a meeting we all didn’t really want to attend in the first place.

Are Icebreakers Worth Fixing?

I think so! Icebreakers can effectively fill the awkward first two-five minutes as everyone waits for folks to join the call. The trick is thinking outside the box of traditional icebreakers like “Name your favorite superpower (and why isn’t it flying?)”

How did I fix icebreakers?

I selfishly made a way to use icebreakers to help me get better at my job.

A way that doesn’t require anyone to reveal any overly personal info about themselves (unless they want to) and is actually useful and relevant to me, a project manager.

But what is this better way?…

Ready for it - I ask questions relevant to future meeting planning!

An icebreaker that shows the meeting host cares about my time? Priceless! Image source: Combo of Canva free stock photo plus a text box. Art is not my superpower.

Oh wait, do you need to keep reading now that I already revealed the secret?

You do you! If you got what you needed already then like, subscribe, and tell your friends. If not, keep reading (but also please like, subscribe and tell your friends.)

Want a list of icebreakers I have used in meetings? Here you go:

Useful Icebreakers Mega List:

• Do you like your meetings directly next to eachother, or would you prefer I leave a 30 minute gap between existing meetings on your calendar when I book them?

• Do you take a non-12PM lunchtime? If so let me know so I don’t book a meeting then by accident.

• How often do you want upcoming task reminders? My default is one week before and one day before but I’m open to suggestions!

• What is your least disliked day of the week for me to schedule a meeting?

• What is your favorite effective meeting hack?

• Define a successful meeting for me

• After this meeting can you email me an example of your favorite meeting minutes you have ever received (if you have them - don’t bother if you have no example)

• Have you ever attended a really effective meeting? What did the facilitator do to make the meeting work well for you?

• If I sent a pre-read for the meeting in advance would you read it?

• Did you read the agenda in advance of this meeting?

• Would you feel comfortable telling me if a meeting invite I sent you could be an email? (Hint: You should always tell me this - it will save us all time!)

• What is your favorite Nicolas Cage movie?

I hope you find this list helpful next time you feel like you should have an icebreaker in your meeting to pass time until everyone arrives.

Have the best day and let me know your favorite icebreaker in the comments!