{"id":1838,"date":"2007-09-07T15:37:22","date_gmt":"2007-09-07T15:37:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.creativeyouthideas.com\/resources\/?p=1838"},"modified":"2021-04-08T21:24:05","modified_gmt":"2021-04-08T13:24:05","slug":"ice-breakers-knowing-the-ice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.creativeyouthideas.com\/resources\/icebreakers\/ice-breakers-knowing-the-ice\/","title":{"rendered":"Ice Breakers : Knowing the Ice"},"content":{"rendered":"

When planning ice breakers, think about the \u201cice\u201d that needs to be broken.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. If you are bringing together liked-minded people, the \u201cice\u201d may simply reflect the fact that people have not yet met.<\/li>\n
  2. If you are bringing together people of different grades and levels in your organization for an open discussion, the \u201cice\u201d may come from the difference in status between participants.<\/li>\n
  3. If you are bringing together people of different backgrounds, cultures and outlooks for work within your community, then the \u201cice\u201d may come from people\u2019s perceptions of each other.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    You\u2019ll need to handle these differences with sensitivity. Only focus on what\u2019s important to your event. Remember, you want to break some ice for your event, not uncover the whole iceberg! And as you move on to design and facilitate the event, it\u2019s always best to focus on similarities (rather than differences), such as a shared interest in the event\u2019s outcome.<\/p>\n

    A simple way to figure out what kind of \u201cice\u201d you\u2019re facing is to consider the following factors:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    1. Size of the Crew<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Some icebreakers work best in large groups of 20 or more, some are better for small groups of 5 or so. If you have too many people for the icebreaker, split into smaller groups of the right size and run the icebreakers concurrently.
    \nAnother often overlooked consideration is the size of the premises you will be conducting your activities. It\u2019s always advisable to have twice as much free room as participants if there is to be any running or moving around.<\/p>\n

    2. Knowing Your Crew (Participants)<\/strong><\/p>\n

    One obvious point to consider is the audience. You will want to consider:
    \nA) Age (which affects the physical energy level and mental ability)
    \nB) Backgrounds (Familiarity between participants, culture, personality types, etc.)<\/p>\n

    3. Plotting Your Course (Purpose)<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The tone for the remainder of the event is set by the icebreaker. What are you doing after the ice breaker?<\/p>\n