It’s 6 a.m. in Chicago. It’s 6º Fahrenheit (that’s a balmy -14º for those in Celsius). I’m looking at every car on our street under 8 inches of snow, even more now that the city snow plow has gone through upending even more white powder onto the cars.
The first two people out for the morning have different plans of action. The first man – blue coat, blue car – comes out, pushes just enough snow off the windshield/windscreen to see, starts the car and drives off. I can hear the car groaning as it drives down the street. I can’t tell if the trail behind the car is exhaust in the frigid air or snow blowing off the car. The interior must have been as cold as the exterior because he'd already fogged up his car.
The second man – red coat, red car – clears enough snow off the car to get in and start it. Next, he works his way around the car to wipe off more snow on all four sides. By the time he gets in a few minutes later, the car is warm, he can see in all directions, and his car easily glides out and down the street.
Excuse the pun, but that’s pretty much the point of an ice-breaker. In short: get your brain warmed up before it brainstorms.
That's why a good meeting facilitator will try a quick and simple ice-breaker to “mentally cleanse” the participants' brains so everyone can contribute and be more productive for the brainstorm.
Here’s what good ice-breakers do:
- Create the right atmosphere for a creative session.
- Introduce people to each other prior to the brainstorm, especially if new people are joining (such as a senior person or a client).
- Make people comfortable – with each other, the environment, the situation, the problem to solve.
- Encourage cooperation, participation and listening.
- Clear the head by challenging the brain to think in a way different from immediately previous work or activities.
- Stimulate divergent thinking (free association, metaphors, force-fitting, etc.)
- Build rapport with the team leader or facilitator, and most important,
- Are FUN.
After the introduction to the meeting, plus a review of the key brainstorm information (including the creative brief), I generally go directly into an ice-breaker.
Here are my three favourite ice-breakers – easily adapted in many different ways. The web will give you hundreds more.
New Uses
This ice-breaker gets people to tap into their imaginations, specifically, “What if …?”
Instructions
- Write or say the basic question, inserting the product, service or process (or one of its items or elements) into the blank space. (See * below.)
- Give the participants a list of 15-20 words, which should not be relevant to the product, service or process.
- Allow people 3-4 minutes to think of the new uses.
- Reading down the list, ask people to call out their answers. Move quickly.
Example
Basic Question: What is at least one alternative use for a ( thing* ) associated with each of the following words? (*If you want a generic item, try a pencil, paper clip, comb or a cowboy boot.)
Word Examples: Kitchen, Garden, Movie theater, Winter (or Summer), Birds, Bathroom, Bicycle, Italy, Water, Playground, Fruit, Hospital, Sport, Cloud, Chair, Purple, Bed, Wrist watch, Broom, Book, Television, Mustache, Stapler, Condom, Hercules and Ice cream.
Scattergories
Based on the board game of the same name, it’s another free-association game where people are given a random series of letters from the alphabet and another random series of categories. In a few minutes (less than more), participants have to think of words beginning with each letter in each category.
Instructions
- Create blank Scattergories cards. (See below for an example, or draw one on a flipchart and pass out blank paper for people to create their own.)
- Come up with 4-5 different categories. (Once, I explained the game then asked the participants to brainstorm the categories.)
- Choose 4-5 letters. (You might ask someone to pick the letters out of a hat, for fairness.)
- Everyone gets 3-4 minutes to fill out their card.
- Read each categories and ask people to call out their best answer.
- As a variation, where the game had subtle hints to the brainstorm purpose, I once drew the letters very large on flip-charts around the room. After the exercise, I gave people a marker and had them write their answers on the flip-chart around the over-sized letter.
Example
See the Scattergories example in the picture to the right.
Person X
This game is deliberately fast and to-the-point: it creates a list of people who are representative of your target audience.
Instructions
- Review the key strategic information at the beginning of the brainstorm.
- Ask people to list people – real, historical or fictional – who would/ or ould be your target audience.
- Try for 50 names: a) you want to move beyond the obvious, and b) you want a lot of names
- Pick some of the more unusual or bizarre names, and brainstorm how you might sell or package the product, service or process to that person (or similar people).
- As a variation, I divided a very large group into three small teams and had each pick 5-6 names to brainstorm ideas at different spots around the conference room.
Example
For a technology client a few weeks ago, we brainstormed people who (would/might) have a printer at home. Some of the names we came up with: Marge Simpson, Johan Gutenberg, George Washington, Ricky Riccardo, Burt & Ernie, Peter Griffin, Benjamin Franklin, Captain James Cook (on his boat, of course), Veronica Mars, Meryl Streep, Alfred Hitchcock, Joe Paterno (R.I.P.), Kelly Slater, Michelle Obama.
One big point: Do not let the game take on a life of its own. Its purpose is to get people mentally ready to brainstorm, not to get unfocused. That's why my personal choice is to create ice-breakers which are directly connected – even tenuously – with the purpose, product, service or process.
... and if no Ice-Breaker?
Of course, you’ll be invited to meetings when an ice-breaker isn’t appropriate, the facilitator isn’t adept at running one, or more commonly, there's no time. In other words, you’re on your own to ‘ice-break’ in your head. Here’s some suggestions:
- Quiet your own distractions, including your phone or touch-tad.
- Ask your team to hold the calls, or even better, tell them you’re away and can’t be reached.
- Check e-/voice-mails before you get into the room.
- Don’t bring in files or anything else from your desk, save a pad of empty paper and a pen. This is especially important if you carry a day-planner or other writing journal.
- Get there a few minutes early. Or, leave early for the meeting and take a long walk to the conference room.
- Take a restroom break before you go. Or, if you can bring your own beverage or food, grab something outside the office before the meeting.
- Sit down, breath in/out a few times. A friend closes her eyes and does a “30-second yoga stretch” in her head.
- Ask the head of the meeting to do an intro, a re-cap – anything – to get you and others focused on the meeting.
To be honest, there have been times when I couldn’t do any of these (too busy, a crisis, a looming deadline, staff problems). I went to the meeting, and I realized afterward, I should NOT have gone to the meeting. I was worthless, didn't contribute anything important, and more so, I surely was a bigger distraction to everyone else. It’s not ideal, I know, but consider not going when you can't mentally get yourself ready for a meeting. But at the same time, see if you can re-schedule the meeting organizer later to see if there’s still a way to contribute or brainstorm ideas.
Try an Ice-Breaker
It’s 6 a.m. It’s 6 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s a balmy – 14 for those in Celsius). I’m looking at every car on our street under 8 inches of snow, even more now that the city snow plow has gone through upending even more white powder onto the cars.
The first two people out for the morning commute have different plans of action. The first man – blue coat, blue car – comes out, pushes just enough snow off the windshield/windscreen to see, starts the car and drives off. I can hear the car groaning as it drives down the street. I can’t tell if the trail behind the car is exhaust in the frigid air or snow blowing off the car. More so, I imagine the man inside shivering as the heater will take several minutes to warm up.
The second man – red coat, red car – clears enough snow off the car to get in and start it. Next, he works his way around the car to wipe off more snow on all four sides. By the time he gets in a few minutes later, the car is warm, he can see in all directions, and his car easily glides out and down the street.
Excuse the pun, but that’s pretty much the point of an ice-breaker. In short: get your brain warmed up before it brainstorms.
Unless you’re a person who brainstorms throughout the day, you’re probably like most people who come to a meeting vaguely prepared, if at all. In fact, I bet you’re bringing most of the work from your desk in with you. (Think of it as driving with not-much snow blown off your windshield.) With little introduction or warm-up, the meeting facilitator demands your best thinking right now. (Think of it as driving with cold air blowing at you when it’s Arctic outside.)
Instead, a good meeting facilitator will try a quick and simple ice-breaker to “mentally cleanse” your brain so it can more productive work for the meeting.
Here’s what good ice-breakers do:
• Creates the right atmosphere for a creative session
• Introduces people to each other prior to the brainstorm, especially if new people are joining (such as a senior person or a client)
• Makes people comfortable – with each other, the environment, the situation, the problem to solve
• Encourages cooperation, participation and listening
• Clears the head by challenging the brain to think in a way different from immediately previous work or activities
• Stimulates divergent thinking (free association, metaphors, force-fitting, etc.)
• Builds rapport with the team leader or facilitator, and
• Most important: they’re FUN.
After the introduction to the meeting, plus a review of the key brainstorm information (including the creative brief), I generally go directly into an ice-breaker. This is my personal choice, but I prefer ice-breakers which are directly connected to the product, service or process we’re brainstorming ideas.
My three favourite ice-breakers – easily adapted in many different ways – are below:
New Uses
This game gets people to tap into their imaginations, specifically, “What if …?” 1. You write or say the basic question, inserting the product, service or process (or one of its items or elements) into the blank space. 2. Give the participants a list of 15-20 words, which should not be relevant to the product, service or process. 3. Allow people 3-4 minutes to think of the new uses. 4. Reading down the list, ask people to call out their answers.
Example
Basic Question: What is at least one alternative use for a ( thing* ) associated with each of the following words? (*If you want a generic item, try a pencil, paper clip, comb or a cowboy boot.)
Word Examples: Kitchen, Garden, Movie theater, Winter (or Summer), Birds, Bathroom, Bicycle, Italy, Water, Playground, Fruit, Hospital, Sport, Cloud, Chair, Purple, Bed, Wrist watch, Broom, Book, Television, Mustache, Stapler
Scattergories
Based on the board game of the same name, it’s another free-association game where people are given a random series of letters from the alphabet and another random series of categories. In a few minutes (less than more), participants have to think of words in each categories which start with each of the letters 1. Create blank Scattergories cards. 2. Come up with 4-5 different categories. (Once I explained the game, I’ve asked the participants to brainstorm the categories.) 3. Choose 4-5 letters. (You might ask someone to pick the letters out of a hat, for fairness.) 4. Everyone gets 3-4 minutes to fill out their card. 5. Read each categories and ask people to call out their best answer.
Example: See the Scattergories example here.
Person X
This game is deliberately fast and to-the-point: it creates a list of people who are representative of your target audience. 1. After you review the key strategic information at the beginning of the brainstorm, ask people to list people – real, historical or fictional – who would/could be your target audience. 2. Try for 50: a) you want to move beyond the obvious, and b) you want a lot. 3. Pick some of the more unusual or obtuse names, and start brainstorming how you might sell or package the product, service or process to that person (or similar people).
Example: For a technology client, we brainstormed people who (would/might) have a printer at home. Some of the names we came up with: Marge Simpson, Johan Gutenberg, George Washington, Ricky Riccardo, Burt & Ernie, Peter Griffin, Benjamin Franklin, Captain James Cook (on his boat, of course), Veronica Mars, Meryl Streep, Alfred Hitchcock, Joe Paterno, Kelly Slater, Michelle Obama.
One big point: Don’t let the game take on a life of its own. Its purpose is to get people mentally ready to brainstorm, so more reason why you might want to consider tailoring the ice-breaker directly to the purpose, product, service or process to generate ideas.
Of course, you’ll be invited to meetings when an ice-breaker isn’t appropriate, or the facilitator isn’t adept at running one. In other words, you’re on your own to ‘ice-break’ in your head. Here’s some suggestions:
• Quiet your own distractions, including your phone or touch-tad.
• Ask your team to hold the calls, or even better, tell them you’re away and can’t be reached.
• Check e-/voice-mails before you get into the room.
• Don’t bring in files or anything else from your desk, save a pad of empty paper and a pen. This is especially important if you carry a day-planner or other writing journal.
• Get there a few minutes early. Or, leave early for the meeting and take a long walk to the conference room.
• Take a restroom break before you go. Or, if you can bring your own beverage or food, grab something outside the office before the meeting.
• Sit down, breath out a few times. A friend closes her eyes and does a “30-second yoga stretch” in her head.
• Ask the head of the meeting to do an intro, a re-cap – anything – to get you and others focused on the meeting.
To be honest, there have been times when I couldn’t do any of these (too busy, a crisis, a looming deadline, staff problems) and I should not have gone to the meeting. I was worthless, and more important, I was a bigger distraction to everyone else. It’s not ideal, but don’t go – but, see if you can re-schedule the meeting organizer later to see if there’s still a way to contribute.
