Ice Breaker Ideas
Improve Team Communication

Free ice breaker ideas and communication tool introduction:

In the end, the ultimate responsibility for non-performance falls directly on the shoulders of the leader. So it’s imperative that leaders understand the importance of consistent and effective communication.

1. Observe More, Assume Never - you can learn a great deal in how an employee reacts or responds by observing them as others try to communicate with the employee.

   It’s so easy to incorrectly assume that if we like a short and direct approach, that others will respond well to that same approach. Some people, however, might shut down very quickly if they feel they are being pressed to hard.

   Each person is different, therefore the leader must determine how best to communicate with each team member.

2. Ask for Direction - while observing employees in action is a great way to get some initial ideas on how employees prefer to communicate, nothing takes the place of simply asking the employee his or her preference.

   Use open-ended questions such as, “Help me understand..”, or “Can you please explain to me...”, or “Am I correct in thinking...”, etc.

3. Supportive Yet Firm - it’s important to learn as you go as you work with each employee to maximize their level of performance. Open communication is key to ensuring that you are able to make steady progress.

   There will no doubt be times when you need to counsel an employee because he or she is not meeting your expectations. When communicating to employees it’s critical that you always maintain a healthy balance in your message.

   Balancing your message simply means that while you may need to be more firm, you always ensure the employee that he has your support. Your comments should always be specific and focused on performance or behaviors issues that you’ve identified. Always keep it strictly professional, never personal.

   Many top level leaders have adopted the leadership strategy of “subtle pressure, relentlessly applied” in order to keep their team at the top of their game. Many of our ice breaker and team building ideas will assist you to this end.

   While some degree of feeling pressure on the job is healthy, especially in a quick-paced, ever-changing, competitive working environment – leaders should never lose sight of the fact that people can become overwhelmed if the leader isn’t an effective filter for the team.

Leaders need to continually assess whether or not the team has it’s priorities in place and is spending its resources wisely at all times.

This is an area where a leader can truly support the team. Our team building and ice breaker ideas will help as well.

It’s Showtime!
Purpose of this activity: To promote relationship building and communication by providing workplace-friendly shows that can help to connect team members.

Explanation: Have you ever arrived early to a meeting and noticed that no one is really talking to one another. Maybe their quickly saying hello as they grab a cup of coffee but then quickly retreat to find a place to sit.

Leaders can utilize the pre-meeting time to their advantage by implementing one of these ice breaker ideas. Simply utilize a VCR or DVD player and a television. Place it at the front of the room and provide a movie or show that might have a theme that is related to the topics of your meeting.

For example, let’s assume your meeting is focused on the topic of Change.

Choose a movie or show that you believe might help begin a discussion about how change has always been a part of any successful organization. You can make the point that the events of the present-day require us to continually take ownership of leading our team through changing times.

The show can be something just as simple as one of those old Dean Martin variety shows, or Bob Hope, or Johnny Carson, or a performance from the Rat Pack. You could play an old Saturday Night Live show or an old Steve Martin movie.

Anything from the past that appeals to the mass market can be effective ice breaker ideas. These shows can spark discussion on how one of the performers or actors from long ago has had to change and evolve in his or her career in order to grow and expand their skill-set.

These old shows are fun to watch, and they will no doubt bring back fun memories for your team members. The laughter that is heard will liven up the atmosphere of the room and help to wake folks up and prepare them for a fun and engaging team meeting.

One more added bonus is that your team might just realize that you actually have a good sense of humor. :)

Outlook = Outcome
Purpose of this activity: To teach team members that they control their outcome by how they choose to see the world. How they choose to communicate their feelings and opinions to others.

Explanation: In general, people tend to either react negatively or respond positively to any given situation.

Use the definitions below to spark discussion among your team as to how they communicate and go about identifying issues and solving problems. Leaders can use the following definitions as a leaders guide, but try to get your team to come up with the definitions themselves.

There are three categories of people when it comes to how they see the world:

1. The Victim - this person is the complainer, the blamer, the attacker, seeing the glass always half empty, it’s always someone else fault.

   He believes that someone is always out to get him. He has no hope for a brighter tomorrow and he puts himself first and is quick to overreact to any given situation.

2. The Passenger - this person remains neutral. He makes every attempt not be noticed, flies in under the radar and is careful not to make waves or call attention upon himself.

   He appears satisfied on the outside but may very well be talking trash behind everyone else’s back. Depending on the situation and who he is talking to he may respond positively or react negatively.

   The passenger goes through life simply as an order-taker. He let’s the world happen around him and waits for circumstances to happen to him.

3. The Leader - this person has developed an instinct to thoughtfully respond to situations. He or she makes every effort to hold his or her self fully accountable for the events taking place in his or her life.

   A leader expects things to work out to his advantage. He believes in himself and his team members. He knows there is a solution for every problem. He is a free thinker and doesn’t allow others to determine his path.

   A leader puts others first, because he knows that by doing this his team will respect him and make every effort to ensure the team is successful.

KEY POINT: Our outlook commands our outcome.

Now that you’ve placed your team in the proper emotional state, now is the perfect time to ask them an important question.

Ask your team members to get out a sheet of paper and list every single thing about their job that they like and appreciate.

The list will quickly grow as people begin to focus their thoughts on what they’d miss if they didn’t work for your organization. For example: income, retirement/401k, heating and air conditioned workplace, benefits, co-workers, business associates, career development and training, short commute, free parking, challenging work, etc.

Completing this exercise is a great way to communicate and remind your people of all the good things in life as well as all the great things going on in the workplace. For new employees, this is one of our most effective ice breaker ideas.

Receive your free Team Building At Work tool, a collection of 40 fun and effective team building and ice breaker ideas, exercises and activities that promote increased team performance. Remember, you only need to download once. All of the various ice breaker ideas and team building templates are included in a single pdf file for your convenience.

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» Creativity
Get your employees to respond to problems with creative solutions, thinking outside the box for maximum results using our ice breaker ideas.

» Customer Service
Serve your employees well and they will in turn take care of your customers. Use team building to satisfy your workers.

» Enthusiasm
High energy, enthusiastic employees are extremely valuable to effective teamwork. Promote enthusiasm in your team.

We're always seeking new ice breaker ideas, tools and resource ideas for our readers. Do you have a suggestion for team building or ice breaker ideas that you would be willing to share? If so, we encourage you to provide your own helpful hints and tips here.

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