Some people are scared of singing in front of others. Some are scared of public speaking. And some are scared of finding themselves in a room full of strangers where they’re expected to network. You can find those people. They’re on the room’s outer edges, almost like they want to sink into the walls. Or they’re hovering by the food table, looking busy trying to balance a wine glass and a way-too-small plate for the amount of food on it.
Smart meeting and event planners know not to just shove a bunch of people in a room and hope they make connections. They plan (it’s in their job title!) by setting the scene, defining a purpose, or leading engagement. This is true whether they’re planning a team building event in person or virtually.
One of the most popular ways to lead engagement is the icebreaker. Yes, we know that sometimes icebreakers get a bad rap for being a bit cheesy. But with the right questions suited for your event, and the outcome you want, they can be fun. If you pair an icebreaker session with another fun experience, then you’re guaranteed to create a lasting memory in your attendees’ minds.
Now, we’re about to give you a bunch of team building icebreakers for work and events to help people make meaningful connections. But before we do, there’s one icebreaker that rules them all. And it’s the simplest one:
Hello. Or hi. Or howdy (if you’re a cowboy). Or ahoy (if you’re on a ship). You get it. However you say “hello” in your language, that’s the quickest and easiest way to break ice.
We get it, though. Just saying hello can be tough. That’s why team building icebreakers are here to help. But before you begin throwing questions out like Mardi Gras beads, consider your circumstances. Some events and organizations are more buttoned-up, while others are more relaxed. Select the types of questions that best fit your situation. You also may want to consider starting the ice breaking session by going first and answering the questions you want others to ask each other. Lead by example, as the saying goes.
Now, let’s get to those questions.
Music Icebreakers
Oh music? You mean that thing we love to use to help teams bond? Yeah, we’re going to start with some of those team building icebreakers.
- What’s your favorite song lyric?
- How have your musical tastes changed over time?
- What’s your karaoke song?
- What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
- Who’s a musician you’d love to meet?
- What band would you like to see get back together?
- When do you remember falling in love with your favorite song?
- What song is your anthem?
- What would be the name of your band if you had one?
- How often do you go to concerts?
Work and Career
For some people, their work and careers are their whole lives. Get to know them better with these icebreaker questions for work.
- Where did you first work?
- What do you enjoy about your current position?
- How did you find the job you’re currently in?
- What’s your ideal job?
- How do you stay motivated?
- What’s the most challenging thing you find in your job?
- How do you find work-life balance?
- What inspired you to choose your career?
- How do you celebrate success at work?
- What are your career goals?
Creativity and Hobbies
Not everyone wants to talk about work. Use these to find out what people’s lives are outside of the office.
- What kind of books do you enjoy reading?
- How do you spend your free time?
- What types of hobbies do you like?
- Who’s your favorite painter?
- Who’s your favorite writer?
- How do you express your creative side?
- What have you created that you’re most proud of?
- How important is creativity to you?
- What’s a hobby you wish you had more time for?
- What sparks your interest in creating something or taking up a hobby?
Adventure and Travel
Many people find traveling a hobby. Take a deeper dive into that with these questions.
- What’s the No. 1 travel destination you’ve visited?
- Where would you go if you could travel to any country in the world?
- How do you prefer to travel, by plane, boat, or train?
- Which do you prefer, the beach or the mountains?
- How do you determine where you’ll travel next?
- What was your favorite work-related travel trip?
- What was your best travel experience?
- What was your worst travel experience?
- How often do you travel for pleasure?
- Which do you prefer, planned or spontaneous trips?
Food and Drink
You know what else is a hobby? Food. And drinks. Many people love both and love to talk about them.
- What type of food do you like best?
- Which do you prefer, savory or sweet?
- What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
- If you drink, what’s the most unique bar you’ve been to?
- Which comfort food do you most like?
- What’s your best family meal memory?
- How often do you cook at home?
- If you could invent a drink, which ingredients would be in it?
- What’s your go-to fast food?
- What would be your last meal?
Health and Fitness
Staying healthy is important to a lot of people. Learn more about their habits with these questions.
- What kind of exercises do you like to do to stay healthy?
- How do you like to relax?
- Which sports do you like to watch?
- What’s a favorite outdoor activity of yours?
- How often do you work out?
- What motivates you to exercise and stay healthy?
- Which Olympic sport would you like to compete in?
- How do you handle stressful situations?
- What are some things you do to stay positive?
- What is your favorite healthy meal?
Personal Growth and Learning
In a similar lane to health and fitness, many people are continually working to personally grow and become smarter.
- What’s one new skill you want to learn?
- What are you passionate about?
- How do you like to learn new things?
- What’s been the best decision you’ve made in your life?
- How do you decide what you want to learn next?
- Who’s been your best teacher?
- Who do you look up to or admire?
- What is one thing you’d like to improve about yourself?
- What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
- What are your long-term learning goals?
Gadgets and Technology
Technology and its tools are important to people in their professional and personal lives. Learn more about their interest in them with these icebreaker questions for work and events.
- What’s the app you use the most on your phone?
- How do you keep up with technology?
- What do you think has been the most important tech invention in the last 20 years?
- Which do you prefer, Android or Apple?
- How do you like to read books, on a tablet or physical copies?
- How many tabs do you normally keep open in your browser?
- What technology do you wish someone would hurry up and invent?
- How long have you gone without using any technology?
- What’s your go-to social media platform?
- How much do you think A.I. will affect the world of work?
Family and Relationships
Use these questions to learn more about someone’s life outside of work and how their past shaped who they are.
- What’s your best childhood memory?
- How do you show your loved ones your appreciation?
- What’s the best advice you’ve received from your parents?
- How do you and your family celebrate special occasions?
- Who in your family had the most influence on you?
- How do you find new friends?
- What’s the No. 1 quality a friend should have?
- How does your family handle conflict?
- What’s your favorite thing to do with your family?
- How do you stay connected with friends who live far away?
General Questions
If you’re looking to keep things casual and light, use some of these all-purpose icebreaker questions for work. They could also be used as virtual team building icebreakers.
- What’s a recent book you read and enjoyed?
- What’s your favorite season?
- How do you prefer your coffee?
- What’s the last movie you saw and liked?
- Who’s your favorite artist?
- Which do you prefer, coffee or tea?
- What’s the last TV show you binge-watched?
- Which sports teams are your favorites?
- Which do you prefer, the morning or the night?
- What did you want to be when you were a kid?
Fun and Random
These questions may be strange, but they’re different and will help you learn more about another person’s whimsical side.
- If you could be a type of noodle, what would you be and why?
- What would be your superpower, if you could have just one?
- What’s the strangest food you’ve eaten?
- What kind of person are you, a why or how person?
- Which do you prefer, the past, present, or future?
- What time period would you have liked to live in?
- What’s the first thing you’d buy if you won the lottery?
- Who would you switch lives with for one day?
- What’s your favorite game to play?
- What’s a quote that you live by?
Conclusion
Honestly, we could continue to come up with more of these icebreaker questions for work, events, or virtual meetings. What we offered is just the tip of the iceberg. But this healthy list will get you started. Whether you’re aiming to have your team bond in person or virtually, these team building icebreakers will set the stage for your organization’s success. Who knows, maybe two people will find out they have the same go-to karaoke song. Cue the music. Looks like there’s a duet about to happen!
Check out our blog for more information about music, the mind, and the various team building experiences we offer.