Ice breaker - personal object - what sort of thing to take

[DayIntarnishedarmour]

I’ve never been to a formal meeting with this activity. The item is supposed to say something about you. I don’t want to take anything too personal or shows my softer side , as I’m not wanting to reveal that in this setting as I don’t know anyone and all who are attending are senior posts to me. I literally have no clue what to do take. All ideas welcome

Make no attempt to keep your lips still when talking as Bob.

Honestly I'd take a random item off my desk - paperweight probably- and say something impenetrable and opaque about its significance. They don't pay me enough for access to my soul.

😆😆

A pen and a notebook; this represents my working life, and anything outside of that is none of your fecking business!

And then go on a massive rant about how the company don’t own your soul and only pay for your time between 9 and 5.

This bullshit gets right on my tits.

Oh God I love these 🤣. Thank you all for the ideas and the comedy.

I had to do this before as part of ILP management training. Is it the same course? I took my passport as that represents travel which is important to me. Some people had keepsakes handed down from loved ones, one person had a watch they'd bought with first bonus, someone had a journal that they'd written in for years, photos of family. It's just to show what your values are, nothing more sinister than that.

Notthefirsttime. No not a hospital. I bet as I type, there are hundreds of poor sods up and down the country half-heartedly opening drawers and cupboards looking for something non-committal, not incriminating and vaguely suitable for this sort of thing 😬.

Fech your toaster or an ice scraper.
The first one enlighten your morning breakfast and the other help you in winter to get ready your car.
Disposable tissues, are fab and very handy.
A pen, because it is very useful.
Do you wear glasses? , show them.
I wouldn't go more deep than that.

This is my favourite one so far 😂

I do hate icebreakers mainly because the course is invariably dull and mandatory and this is their way of trying to liven it up - if you want to make people motivated to engage just announce that the course/training is eg an hour longer than it needs to be, then during the morning of the course drop in that you are flying through the content and might be able to finish an hour earlier - never will people be thirstier to work hard and finish!

I've only done this once and it was on zoom during pandemic.

I took a piece of volcanic rock that I picked up on a trip home - its from my home country, its from an island (I love islands), its from the region I love, its formed under heat and pressure etc, and I have a funny story to tell about that day when my wee daughter fell over and skinned her knee and angrily declared she HATES gravity (as gravity keeps the rocks on the ground dontcha know) -

Its just a small black rock but gave me so much to talk about.

Take an ice-pick....." I was told to bring something to break the ice, so I've brought this, now who's got the gin?"

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/835878798/behold-the-field-in-which-i-grow-my
I’d share my love of tapestry

I’d take my peace Lily, I’ve managed to stabilise it at near dead but am not having any luck getting to any recovery level. ‘So any suggestions welcome and I will leave it on the desk and think you’re amazing if you help save it.’

This.

Not being deliberately rude, but listening to a whole roomful of that sort of thing sounds like my idea of Hell.
What on is the point?

dont take anything. Stand up and say how fucking ridiculous it is

They stop doing Show and Tell after reception class, these days.
Imagine going back to it in the flaming workplace!

I'd leave.

I work for the NHS and have had this ice breaker. I took my daughters sheep, as it takes over my life when she loses it. So it's significant to me as I spend my whole life stressing over a stuffed animal.

ApathyMartha. That would be perfect 👍🏻.

teaandScandal. It’s exactly show and flipping tell I agree.

A packTena pads. To soak up the piss they’re taking.
😉😁😁

I used to work for the NHS and had to endure a number of these..I used to take a fake turd and explain how much of this I've had to deal with literally and figuratively, whilst giving a Hard Stare to the trainer ..

Get out your phone and say it's the only reason you get up each day...

...because you use the alarm setting.

OP - you said you'll be there with senior leaders and don't want it to be personal

Option a) bottle opener/aka stress management
Option b) not a thing - Commencement speech from Bill Gates
https://www.ted.com/talks/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die