Zoom Video Conferencing Icebreakers
4 Icebreaker Activities to Kickoff Your Zoom Meeting
1) Themed Virtual Background for Zoom Meeting
One of the cooler functions in Zoom is the ability to add virtual backgrounds. While the Coronavirus has everyone working from home, a fun way to kickoff a meeting is to have all participants choose a themed virtual background. When the meeting starts have each person introduce themselves and share a detail or two about their background. Three of our favorite themes include:
Favorite Vacation Spot
Favorite Sports Team
Favorite Sitcom
2) First Car or First Vehicle Icebreaker
Honda Spree
When you schedule the video call include the following pre-work assisgnment. Locate a photo of your first car or vehicle. Best if it is you and the vehicle, but if not at least do an online search and find something similar. Either send the photos to the organizer or plan to screen share them when you kick off the call. This is a fun way to reminisce about what we first drove, to recognize the generational diversity on the team and to see how far car tech has come in recent years.
When you kick off the meeting have each participant share their image or have the organizer share the vehicle photos as each participant introduces themselves. This is a fun and lighthearted way to kick off the call.
3) Smartphone Zoom Icebreaker
This Icebreaker can be used in a Zoom call or in an in person meeting
Time: Roughly 30 minutes (Depends on the size of the group)
Group Size: 5 or more participants
Materials: Camera enabled smartphone for each participant, email, LCD projector, laptop with email, slideshow or presentation software, and blank sheets of paper.
Goal: To be the participant who can correctly guess the most zoomed in images.
Procedures: With their smartphone cameras each participant will be asked to take two photos of an object of their choosing. The first image will be a super-zoomed image and the second image will be of the object at full scale. The two photos will be submitted via email to the facilitator for inclusion in the guessing game. See the example below of the two images.
Step 1: Provide the overview to the participants. Give them 5 minutes to go and take their two photos. Ask them to be discrete such that other participants don't see what they are doing. They are welcome to leave the room and photograph anything within proximity of the meeting room.
Step 2: Participants will send the facilitator two emails. Email #1 will have the subject line "Zoomed Image" and have the zoomed photo attached. Email #2 will have the subject line "Full Scale Image" and have the unzoomed image attached.
Step 3: The facilitator will compile all of the Zoomed Images into a slide show presentation with the slides numbered 1-# of participants. The facilitator will create a second slide show presentation of all of the Full Scale Images making certain to place them in the same order as the zoomed image slide show.
Step 4: Each participant will need to create a scoring sheet. They will number a piece of paper 1-# of participants leaving room to the right of the number for them to write their guess for each image.
Step 5: The facilitator will begin the Zoomed Image slideshow on the LCD projector and ask the participants to write down their guess for the first photo. Participants will write down their guesses for each zoomed photo being careful not to share their guesses with their peers. Of course each participant will get at least one correct because their own photo will be in the presentation.
Step 6: To score the game, have each participant swap their scoring sheet with the person next to them. The facilitator should then go through the Full Scale Image presentation showing what each of the photos looks like at Full Scale. The participant with the most correct answers wins a prize.
I am sure there are many other variations on this game that can be played, but it is a quick and easy way to get an group engaged, have some fun and leverage those smartphones.
4) Renters Vs. Owners Mindset Icebreaker
To kick off your meeting engage the team in a conversation about the difference between renters and owners as it relates to property. How does an owner maintain their property versus a renter. Next ask the participants to determine whether your employees have a renter or owner mentality as it relates to your organization. This can be a powerful conversation about employee engagement. Read our full post about Renter vs. Owners.
Bonus Activity: Schedule a Meeting Effectiveness Webinar with Groove Management
Groove Management has built a proven model for leading more effective meetings. This online workshop covers the basics of hosting and attending an effective meeting. Learn more about the workshop here.
As we all address the Coronavirus disruption to life and work, Groove Management is here to help. We have assembled a resource guide below to help individuals and organizations. If we can help you or your organization please reach out.
