Knock knock.

Who’s there?

An icebreaker.

An icebreaker who?

Exactly.

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Yes, we know. Not everyone is fond of icebreakers. They’re a quick reminder of that time your friend made you go to that party where you didn’t know anyone, so your friend decided to host a game where everyone introduced themselves and stated one fun fact about them that no one knew about. Plot twist: it reminded you that there was nothing fun about your life.

But all jokes aside, virtual icebreakers can actually help teams bond (especially when they work in remote setups) when they’re used right. But before we melt into a puddle of anxiety about the thought of answering questions, we have to do something really important.

First, let’s learn exactly what a virtual icebreaker is, and why it’s good to have one up your sleeve for your next virtual team meeting.

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What’s an icebreaker? 🧊

Icebreakers are, well, a great way to break the “ice” at the beginning of a team meeting or even a quick one-on-one. They are great conversation starters – icebreakers help energise people, drive lively discussions and encourage everyone to be more (pro)active throughout the meeting.

Though its disambiguation can be debated, here’s what we think: an icebreaker is a ship that breaks the ice to allow said ship to keep sailing along smoothly, instead of getting stuck in one place (hello, Titanic). In a traditional meeting, icebreakers do just that: they keep the conversation going (goodbye, awkward silence).

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Why do you need icebreakers? ⚓

As the world shifts to a remote-first approach to work, virtual icebreakers are a way for us to feel connected to people we can’t meet in person right now.  The primary goal of an icebreaker is to have fun, create a bond between attendees, and build their confidence when addressing the team.

Which is why it’s important to make sure you’re asking the right questions. 

Here’s the thing. Not all icebreaker questions are equal. A bit like a joke – you do one wrong and it can make you fall flat on your face. Whether it’s being asked to state “an interesting fact about yourself” or “what your ideal partner is”, there are some icebreakers that can make people die inside a little.

Our goal is to prevent that from happening and give you a list of great icebreakers that will help you build team cohesion. In fact, we’ve got some great tips right here:

• Choose icebreaker questions that allow for self-expression, which don’t have a wrong answer, and anyone can answer (including your mom).
• Answer your own icebreaker question first to create a safe space for everyone.
• Keep it simple to keep the conversation moving.
• Have fun so you can build better relationships and a stronger work culture.

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The best icebreakers for team meetings 🎤

Theoretically, there are infinite icebreaker questions you can use for a virtual team meeting, but we’ve compiled some of the most effective ones, so you don’t need to go looking. Most questions can be grouped into six broad categories - we’ll go through each of them in detail with some quick examples - below.

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Team-building icebreakers 🏗️

Icebreaker questions come with one important goal: to build team rapport. So, questions designed specifically to help your teammates figure out how they best work with others are a great starting point. Think of them as a way to segue into the crux of the meeting while encouraging deep critical thinking.

Here are some great examples of team-building icebreaker questions you can use:

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• Do you prefer working alone or on a team?
• What’s an ideal teammate look like for you?
• Which is your proudest team accomplishment?
• If you could give a shoutout to a teammate this week, who would it be?
• What skills do you bring to a team setting?
• What’s your favourite part about working with your team?
• Describe your team with an emoji.
• What is the top skill you bring to work?
• What’s your first memory with your team?
• Who would win ‘employee of the month’ here?

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‘This or that’ icebreakers ⚖️

This one is quick and lighthearted - it’s perfect if you think you’re hard pressed for time and have a group of strangers sitting across each other on their laptop screens. You simply throw out two options, and the participant chooses the option they most identify with. It’s a great way of understanding your team’s preferences, likes and dislikes (so that it helps you stay away from topics in the future).

Here are some great examples of ‘this or that’ icebreaker questions you can use:

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• Mountains or beaches: what would you prefer?
• Would you rather give up going out or social media for a month?
• Which would you rather give up: dessert or junk food?
• Deserted island with infinite Netflix or a crowded room with no friends?
• Would you rather travel back in time or to the future?
• Remote or back to the office: what would you rather prefer?
• Would you rather live in the Arctic or the Sahara desert?
• Food or sleep: what can’t you live without?
• Would you rather live underwater or another planet?
• Pineapple on pizza: yay or nay?

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Funny icebreakers 🃏

Yes, we all love a good laugh, but let’s face it. Work isn’t typically fun. You can change that with a batch of funny icebreaker questions. Humour can be super refreshing for team members who come into your meetings tired. Plus, it’s a great antidote for the disconnectedness that many employees face when they're working remotely.

Here are some great examples of funny icebreaker questions you can use:

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• What smell do you hate that doesn’t seem to bother other people?
• What was your favourite TV show or movie as a kid?
• Which Disney character’s story does your life most resemble?
• Which celebrity do you shamelessly follow in the news?
• What is your favourite smell and why?
• If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
• Which emoji do you use most frequently?
• If you could be reincarnated as any animal, what would you be?
• What’s your favourite emoji?
• Which of your teammates has the coolest laugh?

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Creative icebreakers 🤹

Albert Einstein said that creativity is intelligence having fun. What a hardworking team needs is not a casual friday (every day is casual friday when you’re working remotely), they need an outlet for all their stress. Creative icebreaker questions get people involved and use their imagination to its fullest. Plus, creativity is contagious. It needs to be passed on.

Here are some great examples of creative icebreaker questions you can use:

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• What’s your wackiest pizza topping?
• Who’s your celebrity doppelgänger?
• Create a backstory for an object in your room.
• What would the title of your first music album be called?
• Which TV show character do you most identify with?
• What’s your go-to karaoke song?
• What’s your go-to drink at a bar?
• What’s your current cell phone wallpaper?
• What would your ideal superpower be?
• Which game show would you be awesome at?

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Thought-provoking icebreakers 🧠

If you're really looking to push the envelope out of the box, thought-provoking ice breakers can really help. They’re designed to get participants to stop and think for a second before they actually answer the question. It draws the whole team back into the game. And that’s exactly the point here! 

Here are some great examples of thought-provoking icebreaker questions you can use:

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• What made you smile today?
• What motivates you to wake up in the morning?
• What is your spirit animal?
• What's your favourite motto or quote?
• What invention do you think will be popular in 20 years?
• If you won the lottery what is the first thing you would buy?
• If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
• What is your biggest fear?
• When was the last time you cried?
• When was the last time you felt at peace with yourself?

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‘What's your favourite’ icebreakers 🎖️

The best way to get to know someone is finding out what they’re really passionate about - it could be a book, a movie, a show or even a favourite food - it can get the staunchest of introverts out of their shell. So much so that this category needs no explanation.

Here are some great examples of like-minded icebreaker questions you can use:

• What’s your favourite book?
• What’s your favourite TV show?
• What’s your favourite music band?
• What was your favourite cartoon growing up?
• What’s your favourite comfort food?
• What’s your favourite weird food combination?
• What’s your most prized possession?
• What’s your favourite memory from all time?
• What’s your favourite meal to cook?
• What’s your favourite thing about working here?

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In conclusion 🥅

As you can see, virtual icebreakers don’t have to be awkward. It’s all about assessing the group’s dynamics and picking the right questions.

With these virtual icebreakers, you’ll be on your way to improving team communication and building trust. Plus, you can rest assured knowing that you’ll never have to ask anyone for a “fun fact” about themselves ever again.

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