Break the ice with informative questions that will keep the group interested, engaged and connected throughout the meeting.
Whether the meeting is for a social gathering or informal group, it’s important to ask icebreaker questions to lighten up the atmosphere and mood. Creating an initial bond produces the opportunity for maximum growth and raises enthusiasm for people to contribute and become involved in the gathering.
Planning for the Meeting
Meetings should be a fun affair. Treat the gathering like a project and strategize on how to create positive energy in a room of strangers. Make an outline of the purpose and goal of the meeting. This should include a short-term and long-term goal. An example of a short-term goal may be to get each person to learn at least five things about each person. A long-term goal may be to develop a strong community that depends on each other.
Icebreaker Questions to Ask
Small groups that meet regularly for a school club, church or social gathering have the flexibility for fun questions that go a bit deeper than the surface. Below is a list of 20 possible icebreaker questions for a gathering. Choose two or three questions to ask since having too many will be overwhelming for the person who is not as open to sharing. It may also help to provide a list of five questions and allow them to choose one to answer.
What are your guilty pleasures?
How do you release your stress?
How do others describe you?
Would you rather spend money on gourmet food or material things?
What is your favorite section at the grocery market?
What was your latest life changing experience?
If money wasn’t an issue, what occupation would you choose?
If you found a $100 bill on the floor, what would you do with it?
What was your favorite cartoon or TV show as a kid?
What birth order are you?
Do you consider yourself an extrovert or an introvert?
What is your biggest pet peeve?
What makes you emotional?
What makes you laugh?
When are you the happiest?
Describe a moment when you laughed so hard you couldn’t breathe.
What do you see yourself doing in five years?
What was the last book you read?
Who are the greatest influences in your life?
If you had to give advice to someone regarding life, what would it be?
These icebreaker questions will make it easier for the group to get to know each other by piquing curiosity and creating conversation topics.
How to End the Meeting
When it is time to close the meeting, end it well so that each person will anticipate for future gatherings. Use the last 10 minutes to make any announcements or answer questions from the group. If there is time, end it with a game. One option is passing out small strips of blank paper and asking each person to write down a random question for another person to answer.
Place the folded strips in a bag, pass it around and let each person pick one out and answer a question. It’s one more way to break the ice and a creative way to end the meeting.
Icebreaker questions for meetings are endless and only require an active imagination. It not only helps create familiarity but a comfortable atmosphere of trust since each person is involved in the sharing process.
