Get the Conversation Started: The Top 7 Team Meeting Icebreakers

Spike Team
By Spike Team, Updated on January 03, 2023, 7 min read
Team meeting ice breakers

Out of all the things you can do to make your team meetings less boring and more productive, icebreakers are one of the most effective. Icebreakers are games that help team members get to know each other better and feel more comfortable with one another. They’re also great at breaking down barriers, building trust among coworkers, and creating a sense of cohesion. Plus, they’re just plain fun! With that in mind, here are seven great icebreaker questions for virtual meetings and in-person meetings. Try them out with your team next time you want to get things started! These team meeting icebreakers are a great way to get the conversation flowing. What are the best team meeting ice breakers? Here is the list!

 

 

The Name Game

The Name Game is, by far, the best option for team meeting icebreakers. It’s easy to play: just call out a name from the list in your hand and then say that person’s first word. The person who has been called will say their second word, and then you go on repeating this process until everyone has said all of their words and you’ve reached “aardvark”.

 

This game is great because it helps people get comfortable talking with each other in an informal setting, which can make them more likely to open up later on when they need help or advice from one another. It also makes it fun for everyone involved (unless someone doesn’t want to participate). If any player gets stumped by what word should come after their previous one, there are no rules against asking anyone else on your team for assistance; this means that even if a few people aren’t willing to answer questions about themselves right away during The Name Game itself, they may still end up participating in some way as part of answering someone else’s question!

 

 

The Best Advice I Ever Received

Asking questions is a great way to get people to open up, especially if you’re meeting with them one on one. This game is great for getting people to open up about what motivates them, their past, and more. It’s simple to play. All you need to do is share some of the best advice you’ve received, and why it was impactful. Its a great way to help build rapport with your team – especially in a remote environment,and can even be a good way to help build rapport with new clients if you’re kicking off a project.

 


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7 Ideas for Team Building Activities During Video Meetings


 

 

Three Truths and a Lie

If you’re looking for a team meeting icebreaker that can help your team get to know each other better, then this is the activity for you. Each team member writes down three facts about themselves. Then, they take turns sharing their truths and lies with their teammates. The goal is for their teammates to guess which of these three facts is actually a lie!

 

If you want an extra challenge (or if your group has more than six people), consider making it a competition between teams as well: The first group who correctly guesses all three lies wins! You could even play this game in pairs so that everyone gets a chance at winning individually as well as team-wide.

 

 

Guess Who?

Guess Who also works well as a team meeting icebreaker. The game is simple: a leader will ask a question, and the group tries to guess who it is. For example, the leader might say “Guess who had their first kiss on a Ferris wheel?” The team has 20 seconds to come up with who it might be. Answers could include “Joey from Friends” or “the girl down the street,” but if someone answers correctly (which they should), everyone else is out of luck!

 

If you are playing and don’t know the answer, just say something like “I have no clue” or “You’re crazy!” If you do know the answer – well done! But don’t let anyone else know that yet though…

 

 

Good Manners Gone Bad

The most important thing to remember about Good Manners Gone Bad is that it’s a game. Like any other game, there are rules and etiquette that need to be followed if you want it to be fun for everybody. So what are these rules? First, let’s talk about how the game works:

  • One person starts by saying a word that begins with B.

  • That person then says another word that begins with B, and so on until someone makes a mistake (i.e., says something that doesn’t begin with B). This person gets “shut down” by the rest of the group.

  • If no one makes a mistake after three tries at saying something beginning with B, then everyone shuts down another player in turn (for example: “Baker” → “Bandit” → “Bananas”). This continues until someone finally messes up again!

 

One Page Summary

If you’re really nervous about speaking in front of your team, this is a great ice breaker to start with. The way it works is simple: everyone has one minute to share their thoughts on the topic. You should write down three things that have happened in the past week, and then decide which one of those things you would like to share with the group.

 

The goal here is not just for everyone to get comfortable speaking; it’s also about making sure that every member of your team gets a chance to talk so that they feel heard and valued by their peers. Asking participants what they did over the weekend gives everyone an opportunity for socialization—and makes them feel more comfortable sharing their ideas later on (especially if there are any awkward silences). This exercise can also help identify who does most of the talking during meetings, as well as highlighting which members need extra encouragement in order to contribute more often at work! The one page summary is also a great way to implement effective meeting guidelines.

 

 

Hangman’s Duel

For an icebreaker that’s fast-paced and fun, try Hangman’s Duel. This game is great for team building because it encourages your group to communicate with each other in order to win. One of the teams has a word they’re trying to guess, while the other team acts as their adversary and helps them out. The first team that can guess five words wins! How to Play: Each team is given a piece of paper and a pen. One team writes down a word, then folds it so that only they can see what it says. The other team has to guess the word by asking yes/no questions such as “Is it an animal?” or “Does it start with the letter A?” If their guess is correct, then the first team reveals their answer. If not, then the second team gets another chance at guessing!

 

 

Team Members can Learn More About Each Other With Games Than With Questions

Games are a great option for team meeting icebreakers, lightening the mood, and learning more about each other. For example, a team-building game can help you get to know each other by having everyone play at once. This way, you’ll all be involved in the game and won’t feel left out if someone else is chosen first. You can also divide your group into teams and have them compete against each other. This will help your team work together as well as build trust between them.

For example:

  • "Why Are You Here?"

    Teams answer questions like: “What was your first impression of our team leader?” or “What’s your favorite part about working here?” This game allows for open communication between all members of the group.

  • "I Have Never"

    Teams play this game by going around in a circle and saying something they have never done before.

This is another great opportunity for teams to get to know each other better and build trust with one another.

 

 

Wrap Up on the Best Team Meeting Icebreakers

That’s it for our top 7 team meeting ice breakers! You now have a comprehensive list of icebreakers you can use to get any meeting started. These icebreakers will help your team members get to know each other better and build trust. They are also a great way to start any meeting off on the right foot (don’t forget the virtual meeting agenda)! If you have any questions about using these icebreakers or any other meeting-related topics, feel free to reach out on Twitter @SpikeNow. We’re always happy to help!

Spike Team
Spike Team The Spike team posts about productivity, time management, and the future of email, messaging and collaboration.

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