aibu regarding icebreakers

[ovaryhill]

When you've to stand up and tell a bunch of strangers all about yourself and your background, oh and and tell a funny fact about yourself on a training course
Would I be unreasonable to say 'it's none of your bloody business, '?

Oh, and a decent trainer should be able to deliver their whole course without IT. I can regularly because it's good practice.

For everything you (never) wanted to know about ice breakers there is a series of books called Games Trainers Play. Been around for decades.

Personally, I always found the best way to break the ice was to offer the ubiquitous dish of mint imperials around and announce that in the last day of the course I'd take the whole group out for a drink.

I keep icebreakers really simple and quick so they get people talking without causing any stress.
What would you be doing if you weren't here
Your favourite biscuit
How long it takes you to get to work
How did you travel here today

It must be easy, non-competitive, not requiring humour or wit, no one-upmanship allowed!

If it takes more than 10 seconds per person, it has taken too long.

Icebreakers are important, but I cringe at some of them I have been made to do so I will not inflict them on people who I am training.

Yanbu - I bloody hate them, they make me cringe!

Also done a lot of training/ facilitating - and agree with most points. You sound brilliant Mrs TP.

It is hard when people just want to go home and don't see the point - BUT the company needs them trained - that's why they are paying you.

I don't do twee ice breakers but do a quick game or exercise after introductions.

One guy, when I asked him his objective for the training said "To get those arseholes over that side of the room to see that they wouldn't have a job without us in our department"

(An industry/topic relevant game BTW - )

One at one course I did that worked so well is that we got given a list of things each (been to an Olympics, plays the piano, speaks another language, has lived on a farm, birthday in June etc) and had to find someone in the group that had done each of those things, and couldn't use someone else's name twice. I thought it worked well because it was interesting, and because everyone was doing it at once I didn't feel shy.

I hater icebreakers. I am not in the slightest bit interested in what you think you will be doing in 5 years time, nor do I care what bloody animal you think you are.

I just want to get through the course quickly so I can go home

Worse than icebreakers........ fecking role play.

Mmm I've used that one. People had bingo cards to cross off.

Oh yes the dreaded role play, I'm always tempted to say what, no dinner and a movie first?'
Or turn up in a bondage costume and gimp mask
I've been up since half four, can you tell I'm stressing about this?

This thread is very funny. I loathe and detest this shit too. It's reminding me of the Office episode where David Brent is constantly trying to get one up on the trainer and eventually blurts out 'There was a rape in there!'

I've flatly refused to participate in role play or physical contact activities. I'd put on the spot, my 'fact' will always be something along the lines of how uncomfortable ice breakers make me.

Ironically, I am a secondary school teacherso I'm well aware of how frustrating it is to teach some obstructive so-and-so with an attitude which is exactly what I metamorphose into at training sessions. However, in my case, although I have no problem taking charge of a room of surly teenagers, I am also painfully shy and that manifests itself as sulky defensiveness in awkward ice-breaking situations. Consequently, I never attempt to force my own students into something that makes them uncomfortable and I work hard to create a safe, secure and calm learning environment in which no one is getting stressed and panicky as many people on this thread have described theey do whilst awaiting their turn in an ice breaker. I'd never so anything potentially humiliating like the skipping round the room thing someone mentioned. It's so counter productive.

I had this at an interview. The woman I was paired with couldn't remember fuck all about me despite my fact being I thought I saw a Ufo the week before - I got the job, she didn't

My main thought at training courses is what time I can go home. Plus how without all the icebreakers, claptrap and waffle, and numerous tea breaks how much shorter the thing could be. Residential ones are torture.

I hate it and I'm really sweaty so had it dribbling down my face last time. I had to say one true fact and two lies, awful.

I work in a position that requires me to attend a lot of workshops etc and I'll be honest the majority of facilitators seem to put undue emphasis on their own particular brand of ice breaker rather than the course content / workshop objective.

I've endured clapping in circles, sharing 'something you've never told anyone', favourite biscuits, happiest memories, passing bloody balloons. The list goes on and on.

One thing remains true - the more instrusive or ridiculous the ice breaker the less the attendees take in from the content. Most are just wishing the hours till the next break away. Companies pay for your brain 9-5, not your soul

I used to dislike them - then embarked on psychotherapy training. One of the first exercises (not really an icebreaker) was about advanced empathy. I had to hold the hands of the man opposite me and make eye contact for 5 minutes without speaking, noticing everything I could about him. This was to include his odour and any perspiration etc. and report back to the group. that was excruciating.

We obviously now do very emotionally intimate exercises and that one wouldn't bother me, but it was about day 2.

What if you get a kinesthetic leaner who is very quiet?
We all learn the same way.

I remember training from a clinical psychologist who told us that she respected some people in the room would be stressed by these getting to know you activities so wasn't going to do them and then moved swiftly on to the training session.

Such a relief.

Having to read and run. I am a trainer but it's not my main job. It's really really hard work. There are some horror stories here really. I am open mouthed at some- especially physical contact or personal stuff. Also the dreaded say something interesting about yourself! How can trainers not see how crippling that is? I am outgoing and open, but even I immediately clam up. Best one ever 'I have holes in both my socks'

Only half way through the thread but it's really interesting. Also, I train people who are paid to be bolshy (as am i) so the whole giving your whole self to the corporate rings true.

Oh one of the first things I say is 'no role Play' I am now considering 'no ice breakers'. I do see the point. But I ran a course the other day where the room, the numbers, and how much we had to get through meant ice breakers would be hard. The first session was relevant and got people talking in small groups. I think that worked ok.

I am also a trainer and hate ice breakers myself.

I usually just ask on short courses 'what is your name and what do you want to get out of the training?' And i write the things down and make sure that it is covered off at the end.

I do often start with a fun quiz about quirks in the world of growing fruit and vegetables. That does loosen everyone up a little.