{"id":1968,"date":"2018-06-22T06:38:09","date_gmt":"2018-06-22T04:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kites-events.agency\/10-icebreakers-to-kick-off-your-conference\/"},"modified":"2019-09-04T21:52:49","modified_gmt":"2019-09-04T19:52:49","slug":"10-icebreakers-to-kick-off-your-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kites-events.agency\/fr\/10-icebreakers-to-kick-off-your-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Icebreakers To Kick Off Your Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tIcebreakers are one of the most effective ways to kick off a meeting or conference. These interactive sessions are widely used to help attendees to get to know each other, feel more comfortable in a group and have some fun before the official program starts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>10\nIcebreakers to Kick Off Your Conference<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tIf planned and executed well, icebreaking sessions are a great way to engage attendees actively in the event proceedings, clarify its objectives and create the right conditions to maximize the learning process.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tBut before you dive into planning one, keep these three points in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\t<li>\n\n\t\t<strong>Decide\n\twhat ice you want to break: <\/strong>Set a clear goal for the activity. Is it to help people get to know each other, start collaborating, or engage with speakers?\n\t<\/li>\n\t<li>\n\n\t\t<strong>Keep\n\tit simple but purposeful:\u00a0<\/strong>The simpler the activity, the easier it is to engage in. Just make sure it helps you achieve your event objectives.\n\t<\/li>\n\t<li>\n\n\t\t<strong>Be\n\tsensitive: <\/strong>Remember people have different values, beliefs, experiences. Consider how you would feel if you had to participate in the activity yourself.\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tBelow is a list of icebreaking activities to help you get started.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>1.\nIntroduction Interviews<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tFor any meeting or workshop, it\u2019s critical to learn about the people who are in the room. Yet obligatory introduction rounds are usually charged with awkwardness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tDo it differently. Put participants in pairs and let them interview each other. Give them five minutes to learn about one another\u2019s background, professional experience or passions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tThen do the introduction round, but this time let the interviewer introduce the interviewee. The intros then look something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<em>This\nis Peter; he lives and breathes technology. He built his first robot\nat the age of 5. He\u2019s now working as an innovation lead. He also\nloves skydiving.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tNot only will you make the introductions less stiff, but you will also help people to connect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>2.\nIcebreaking Polls<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tLive polls are one of the easiest ways to break the ice and capture the audience\u2019s attention, especially when you want to engage larger crowds at conferences (50+).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tSo as part of your opening remarks, use a fun poll to enliven the atmosphere and also to set the tone for your event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tHere are a few examples that we love, which we\u2019ve gathered from our clients.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\t<li>\n\n\t\t<strong>How\n\tenergized are you feeling right now?<\/strong> (Rating 1-10, 1 = no energy, 10 = super energized)\n\t<\/li>\n\t<li>\n\n\t\t<strong>As\n\ta child, what did you want to be when you grew up?<\/strong>\n\t<\/li>\n\t<li>\n\n\t\t<strong>If\n\tage is only a state of mind, what is YOUR state of mind right now?<\/strong>\n\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>3.\u00a0Sharing\nExpectations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tYou can use live polling for much more. Relevant content is the backbone of every event. To ensure it is fine-tuned to your attendees\u2019 needs, kick off with an icebreaker poll to discover their expectations and learning objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tAgain, here are a few examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\t<li>\n\n\t\t<strong>What\n\tdo you expect to get out of this event\/training\/workshop?<\/strong>\n\t<\/li>\n\t<li>\n\n\t\t<strong>Using\n\tone word, what themes do you want to hear about?<\/strong>\n\t<\/li>\n\t<li>\n\n\t\t<strong>What\u2019s\n\tyour level of understanding of the topic?\n<\/strong>(Options: I\u2019m an expert\/I have some solid background\/I have some basic knowledge\/I\u2019m completely green)\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>4.\nSnowball Fight<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tThis dynamic icebreaker is a great way to boost the energy levels in the room and get people excited. It is inspired by Eric de Groot\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tEric aimed to demonstrate how easy it is to change people\u2019s behaviour. He invited everyone in the room to stand up, grab some papers that had been previously handed out and crumple them up into small balls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tThen he instructed people to throw the paper balls at a target in the room once the music started to play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tAnd the result? An instant party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tTaking it to the next level to reveal hurdles the team members face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tHand out pens and paper and prompt the participants to write down their personal challenges. Then instruct the people to crumple up the papers and throw the snowballs in the air on a countdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tAt the end, everyone grabbed the nearest paper ball and read out some of the anonymous challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>5.\nTwo Truths and a Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tThis icebreaker works well both for small groups and large audiences. The main idea is that people are asked to share two true and one false fact about themselves and the audience guesses which one the lie is. It\u2019s a great way to take the pressure off people and make the introductions fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tTo involve all the participants instantly, use live polls so everyone can guess the false fact by voting. To pull this off successfully, appoint a moderator who will guide the audience through the quiz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tWhen preparing the quiz, collect two true and one false fact from those you want to introduce. Use these to create a multiple-choice poll for each person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tKick off the quiz by introducing the person and then invite people to vote for the answer they think is false. Once you have enough votes, comment on the results or prompt people to share the story behind each answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>6.\nTime for a Story\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tPeople love stories. And they can learn a lot from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tAt the FRESH conference in Copenhagen, the facilitator split the audience into groups of five and then gave everyone one task.\u00a0They had to write a story about the most innovative event that they had organized.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tIn the first step, people were given 10 minutes to reflect and also to note down the key points (pen and paper were provided).\u00a0Then in turns, group members narrated their professional achievements to the rest of the group one by one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tThis way, Martijn created an environment where people could not only inspire one another but also connect on a personal level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>7.\nHuman Bingo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tHave you ever played bingo? This icebreaker version will help people get to know each other quickly and start interacting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tPrepare 5\u00d75 bingo matrices filled with a series of personal or business-related statements and hand them out to the attendees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tSome example questions:\n\t<strong>Have\nyou visited more than 15 countries?<\/strong>\n\t<strong>Do\nyou have a pet?<\/strong>\n\t<strong>Have\nyou ever fallen asleep during a conference call?<\/strong>\n\t<strong>Have\nyou been with the company for over 10 years?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tInstruct the participants to interview each other and tick off the boxes that apply to each person. The first person with a completed card wins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>8.\nGroup Collaboration on Speaker Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tIf done right, panel or presentation Q&amp;A can be the most interactive part of the session. But it often suffers from the lack of spot-on questions.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tQ&amp;A tools like Slido can help bring questions to the light (and the stage). But the real magic happens when you facilitate the collection of questions and turn it into an exciting icebreaker. So before you open up the Q&amp;A, get people to talk to their partners (or trios or any other configuration feasible with the room seating) and have them come up with one question each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tThen instruct them further to present their questions to the group and collectively decide on the best one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tAfter that, get them to submit their own winning question through Slido. While they do it, they can also review the questions submitted by others and upvote the ones they like the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tThe speakers or panellists then address the questions with the highest support of the audience during the Q&amp;A.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tCredits for this activity belong to\u00a0Miranda van Bruck, Creative Director at The Content Studio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>9.\u00a0Ongoing\nTOP 10 Quiz<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tWe\u2019re all children at heart in the end. And a bit of competition can get even the most serious managers to participate with passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tAt the recent full-day workshop, our facilitator Lukas Bakos prepared an ongoing quiz competition to keep us engaged from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tLukas split the group into pairs and tasked everyone to write TOP 10 on a certain topic (from the 10 most visited sites according to Lonely Planet, to the 10 best-selling cars in history) for each round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tThe rounds were spaced out after the breaks throughout the day, so the group had an incentive to get back to the room on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tWith a three-minute limit per round, the groups were told to write down their answers and were given two points for each correct answer. The score was kept on a flip chart so the people could see how their group was doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tAt the end of the day, the winners received a prize in the range of 0 to 10,000 euros. The prize was a scratch card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>10.\nCoffee Break Assignments to Endorse Networking<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tCoffee breaks are often one of the most underused aspects of events. While some people have mastered the art of networking at events, others might need a little poke to help them start conversations with strangers.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tAt Eventex 2016, meeting designer and facilitator Jan-Jaap in der Maur prompted people to network through coffee break assignments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tBefore they left the room, he instructed the participants to meet three new people during the upcoming break and ask:\u00a0<em>What\u2019s\nyour story? How did you get to do what you\u2019re doing?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tAfter the break, Jan-Jaap got people to pass around the\u00a0<em>Catchbox\n<\/em>\u2014 a throwable microphone<em>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/em>while music played in the background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tWhen the music stopped, the person caught holding the microphone shared one of the stories he or she had learned about the others during the break.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\t<strong>Wrap\nup<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n\tUsing icebreaker sessions to kick off any event will help you to connect people and make them feel more comfortable in a group of strangers. It\u2019s a great way to pull people in and get them to engage actively once the official event program starts. With these icebreakers, you can be confident that you will get people to interact.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Icebreakers are one of the most effective ways to kick off a meeting or conference. These interactive sessions are widely used to help attendees to get to know each other, feel more comfortable in a group and have some fun before the official program starts. 10 Icebreakers to Kick Off Your Conference If planned and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1969,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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