Ice-breakers

An icebreaker in a community is an act of starting a conversation through questions, games, or typically, introductions. Ice-breakers are a very common practice in communities as it helps warm up the conversations and reduces awkwardness.

Ice-breakers tend to ease people into the conversation by making sure everyone has gotten comfortable. It also creates a sense of regard for people to interact with others which helps break them through the nervousness.

Ice-breakers should be fun and always aim towards getting a few laughs and jokes from people. Laughter binds people together. It helps people become more open with each other and as a result are able to network, talk, and contribute without hesitating. Also, when people open up through ice-breakers, it makes them share things more easily and go in-depth with their ideas which leads to more insightful conversations.

When should you add ice-breakers?

• In new meetings or community events where people don’t know each other.
• If you know that a certain amount of tension will persist in a gathering or meeting, try opening with an ice-breaker to make it easier to get through.
• 1-on-1 conversation with someone new.

What type of ice-breakers should you use?

• Introductory ice-breakers. And try to have a set of questions beforehand so people have a structure of what to talk about.
• One fun question for everyone. For example - if you could go to Mars right now, what’s the one thing you will definitely not miss here on Earth?
• Depending on how comfortable the audience is, you can choose to play more intimate games like - never have I ever, two truths and a lie, If you wish for 3 wishes, etc.

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