Create Better Ice Breakers By Knowing Your Audience And Objectives

When you are put in a group of strangers, ice breaker activities are a great way to start working together. Instead of just picking an activity at random, look at the goals of the group and design activities that focus on those.

Mind Tools reviews the basics of why you should use ice breakers:

If you are bringing together like-minded people, the “ice” may simply reflect the fact that people have not yet met.

If you are bringing together people of different grades and levels in your organisation for an open discussion, the “ice” may come from the difference in status between participants.

If you are bringing together people of different backgrounds, cultures and outlooks for work within your community, then the “ice” may come from people’s perceptions of each other

Once you figure out what the ice is, then you need to pick an activity that matches your needs. Mind Tools suggests considering the comfort level of the participants and how these activities will create a common purpose. Look for shared experiences that focus on what makes participants similar instead of pointing out the differences. Check out the link for the best ice breakers for each situation.

Ice Breakers Easing Group Contribution [Mind Tools]