To ask for Team call ideas

[HuzzahIndeed]

Every fortnight my area does a forced fun Teams meeting. We are given a theme and have to put on a background and talk about it. For example what's our dream holiday destination, baby photos, favorite peice of clothing, best festival decoration etc.

It's pretty dull listening to 20 people but last time was ideal dinner party guest. The self proclaimed area joker said Hitler. Apart from not being in the slightest bit funny, we have 2 openly gay men and at least one Jewish person in our team so thankfully he was shut down pretty quickly. I don't know if he was spoken to afterwards.

Next week it's my turn to host and I haven't a clue. Unfortunately I need to make more of an effort than normal after the last one.

Any suggestions of oh so hilarious generic Teams themes?

TIA

The worst team games/training session you’ve had to do.

Firstly, this kind of thing in the workplace, whilst fun on paper, generally isn’t and can go spectacularly wrong (as per the Hitler joker).

Second, I’d just feign illness every fortnight.

If that doesn’t work, pick a subject so obscure that you never get asked again, e.g. favourite 19th century Russian novel, favourite noble gas (although everyone will pick helium), favourite inter-war German film.

”things we’d rather be doing”

Desert island disc

just one song you would take with you on a desert island and why

That’s a really good one.

@Flopisfatteningbingforchristmas I would love to be so passive aggressive! Something a few of us do when we're in training and are asked the inevitable "tell us something interesting about yourself" question is make up really obscure nonsense. That CAN be funny. I'm being really outing but someone managed to convince the trainer and people from different organisations in the group that they were training part time to go to the moon. He kept it up for the whole 2 week course.

I've sometimes had issues with my mic and/or camera but sadly I can't do it very often and have to use it judiciously @MonkNun . Obscure is good although people will then ask me why I chose it. Maybe I'll volunteer for a few weeks in a row with REALLY dull stuff and have it taken off me.. hmm... that could work. Thanks!

🤣 @mina14325 that could make a long call!

@SalesMum I like the song idea and we've not done that. Thanks! No idea what I'd chose though.

Themes

Share your Dream holiday destination

Share what Jeff should have said as dream dinner guest instead of Hitler

Share your first social media photo (this one always ends up funny!)

I've also previously got people to make a one pager on themselves, these also then came in handy when peoples birthdays came around

That's part of the problem is having to think about your choice and how you present yourself to people you don't know face to face or are in different countries so may not get the references. The favorite peice of clothing was particularly difficult. Mine is a scratty old holey, funny coloured cardie that never leaves the house. I couldn't say in a professional environment though! 🤣

Twenty people, 15 seconds each, what will you do with the x minutes you get back by finishing xx minutes early. So if an hour's call, and you decide to give people five minutes for being late (you should not do this but it seems some people do), two minute introduction, that means instead of an hour, you could do this in 20 minutes maximum.

So what would you do with 40 minutes?

@balalake darn you with your sensible manager head. Don't you see it's sooooo fun and a brilliant way to get to know your colleagues (who you will never see outside of work and work perfectly pleasantly and successfully with, without knowing their favourite book).

Apparently our daily meetings, once weekly organisation meeting and monthly topic meeting, not to mention various other miscellaneous things are an excellent use of our time and our customers are happy to wait while we discuss Barbara's dream to go backpacking in China.

How old were you when you lost your virginity and was it any good?

They'd definitely never ask you to host ever again.

Pub quiz Teams online. Irish jingle and everything

I did one recently

Was a hoot

Did it in our industry but you could do it on something fun I suppose

Ask them to recommend a TV boxset to watch and what they liked about it.

Also first ever job isn't a bad one to do.

My team does Pecha Kuchaas we're quite newly integrated and don't know anyone!

It does put the onus on one person somewhat but then at least you're controlling your input. Nothing I hate more that enforced fun where you're 'picked' to do something.

First film you saw at the cinema

Favourite music album

I think shorter is better - 20 minutes each 😳

Just reread - 20 people, slightly better than 20 minutes each!

Earliest news memory

I've done 'worst job', 'first job', celebrity encounter (that was quite good), random talent, and weirdest place you have been

Play "Soup, salad or sandwich?"

2 lies and a truth, everyone has to guess which ones the truth.

Marry, Shag, Kill from the executive team. You won't be asked again....

How many of these have you already had to attend? I don't think I could cope with doing an extended "icebreaker" session 24 times a year for the rest of my working life. Surely at some point they realise you're going to run out of hilarious topics?

Although you'd think the last one might have tipped them off that this has run its course!

Death row dinners - what meal would you want to eat as your last, 3 courses.

Do anything but this.

Actually this sounds like hell, ask everyone what they'd rather do with their free hour and then next time do that instead!