Moving Beyond Icebreakers

Are you moving back to more in-person meetings? It's a great opportunity to bring in some more active exercises. Bag Toss (page 302) is a great way to learn names (now that they aren't on the screen!), engage all voices, and have some fun! It's also can be used as a way to discuss group dynamics, chaos, team work, etc. Check out this video to see how it's done!

Moving Beyond Icebreakers - Example One: "Bag Toss" Example of the interactive meeting exercise: "Bag Toss" from the book "Moving Beyond Icebreakers" by Stanley Pollack with Mary Fusoni - produced by Teen Emp...

This is a quick and fun way to start a conversation about the different ways people react to information or circumstances: Freeze Face (variation of Freeze Frames pg 326)

1. Decide on the emotions or concepts you want to highlight. Sum them up to one word each. Choose 4 or 5 (including opposites is a good idea). Examples: surprised, concerned, love, hate, confused, afraid, worried, happy, sad, giddy, anxious, peaceful, violent, tired, energetic.

2. If meeting via video-conference, ask everyone to turn their cameras on. Explain that you are going to count to 3 and then say a word. When they hear the word, they should strike a pose/make a face that conveys that idea and freeze for 6 seconds.

3. Count to 3 and say the first word. You may want to count to 6 for the freezing period (but then you can't participate). Repeat with each of your 4-5 words.

Process: Did people make the same poses/faces or different? Did any two words look similar? People have different ways of communicating the same message/emotion. How do you know how your audience is reacting to the messages you're sending? Lately (working/meeting remotely) our communication is more constrained than usual. People aren't usually so obvious in their reactions. How can we get to know what's going on inside our team's (or clients') minds without the benefits of seeing body language or being in the same room?

This is about leading and following and can start a conversation about how our own actions reflect what's happening around us. It works on video chat (and in person): Group Mirror (based on Concentric Mirrors p. 315)

1. Choose a volunteer to be the leader and make sure everyone has their camera on. Explain that the leader is "looking into a mirror" and everyone else will be their reflection, mirroring their actions.

2. Have the leader start making motions and everyone else imitate the same motions.

3. After a minute or so, say stop and choose a new leader. Do 2-3 or let everyone have a turn leading.

Process: This exercise allows the leaders to see their own actions. What did it feel like to be imitated? Did you try to make it easy or hard to follow you? What about the followers--was it easier to mirror some leaders than others? Did you prefer to be a leader or a follower? Why? We are all reflecting our environment and those around us whether we realize it or not. Sometimes its easiest to learn about ourselves through the way others see/interpret us, even though it can also be a difficult experience.

This is a great way to kick off a conversation about creativity with constraints and/or help your team members get to know each other better: Poem Sculpture

1. Explain that you are about to share a short poem. Everyone will have 3 minutes to find objects nearby and create a sculpture that expresses their interpretation of the poem.

2. Share the poem: Something blue, something new, something rad and something glad. (Alternative: Something old, something bold, something fun and something won or make up your own!).

3. Start the timer. Give a 30 second warning before time runs out.

4. Go around and share your sculptures and how they represent the poem.

Process: People interpret rules/written language differently and bring their own personality and lived experience to their work. Sometimes objects have a deeper meaning than can be seen without explanation. All the sculptures are different--even within specific guidelines or constraints (such as an inability to gather in person) there is room for creativity and an opportunity to create something meaningful, unique, and beautiful.