This episode is brought to you by the Dale Carnegie Course. One of the first skills we teach you in this class is how to start a conversation with anybody, anywhere, anytime. Find out about out upcoming courses in the Los Angeles area at carnegiecoach.com/dale
Question from a listener:
Do you have ideas for icebreakers? Or other ideas to help a team get to know each other better on a personal level? I want to build my team’s relationships with one another (and myself), and I’m open to ideas to go about accomplishing that goal.
How to break the ice with four different methods:
1. Introduce yourself to the person next to you (or to the group) but say nothing about work.
2. Ask a question of the other party (or group) about what you want to gain from the meeting, retreat, or event.
3. Read 7 Questions To Engage People You Just Started Managing
4. See the bottom of this page for 80 networking questions from executive coach Vance Caesar.
I enjoyed the podcast and followed the resources you mentioned. I think I would steer people away from the 80 questions. These are not really networking questions – they feel more like therapy questions.
Hey Richard,
Indeed – and I mentioned on the show that some of these are not appropriate for an “ice breaker” type exercise. However, it’s a starting point for ideas and there are a number of questions that could work well too.
The key is to ensure that any question or exercise that’s done matches up with the objective for the event or overall strategy for the organization.
Thanks a ton for listening! -Dave