The Five Fundamentals of Ice Breakers for Large Groups
You’re putting on a big event – a huge conference, a mammoth team building day. There are plenty of people who don’t know one another, and many who don’t speak on a day to day basis. It’s not ice you have to break – it’s a glazier, and without a proper plan, awkwardness and nerves could sink the good work of your event planning. So, we’d better take a look at the fundamentals of breaking the ice for even the largest of groups.
Ice Breaker Fundamental One: Create A Positive Atmosphere Before the Big Day
Your attendees must feel involved and interested in the day going on around them, and this should begin prior to the event. Ideas to achieve this could include counting down to your day via an online group board, and providing teasers as to what’s to come via your intranet, email or social media.
Ice Breaker Fundamental Two: Help Them to Relax
Feel-good music, motivational speakers, and amusing MC’s can all help your guests to feel relaxed (a critical ingredient for ice breakers that are as effective as possible).
Ice Breaker Fundamental Three: Break Down Departmental and Social Barriers
Your guests will naturally group together with people they know well – such as those in their department, fellow employees of the same level or others around the same age. So you’re going to have to place guests into groups that provide a good mix of people who normally wouldn’t team together.
Ice Breaker Fundamental Four: Energise and Motivate
Here’s the thing – ice breakers are an art form. They require tasks that engage and stringent management. For anyone less than a professional, an ice breaker that bores is less a possibility, more a certainty. If you want to create an ice breaker that energises and motivates, it usually has to be overseen by pros who truly know what they’re doing. But if you are committed to handling this intimidating task yourself, take a look through our most popular ice breakers for inspiration – such as Animation Team, Team Apprentice, The HAKA, Team Millionaire or Dragons Den.
Ice Breaker Fundamental Five: Help Them to Quickly Get to Know One Another
Before diving into the actual task, do a little introduction in your groups, but keep it quick – ask them to speak to those immediately to their left and right, with their name, role, and either something interesting about them or their most embarrassing moment in life.
Want us to take a sledgehammer to that iceberg of yours? We’re just full of ideas for ice breakers for large groups. Send us a message, or call us directly on 0800 083 1172.
