I’ll admit it upfront: I’m not a huge fan of highly-involved, fun strategic planning icebreaker activities that don’t provide direct value to the strategic thinking we need to do.
Granted, the contribution doesn’t have to be something that will go into the final strategic plan.
But if we’re going to invest any amount of time for fun strategic planning icebreaker activities, they need to directly contribute to a fun environment or help the group to network and collaborate more effectively during the day.
So, with the idea of sharing ideas that still leave you with lots of flexibility, here are strategic planning icebreaker activities you can develop to best suit your strategy group’s needs. You can use these idea starters and imagine what will be most effective in any setting.
8 Strategic Planning Ice Breaker Activities
- Ask a question that even people that have worked together for a very long time would have never asked and discussed previously.
- Have people quickly pair up (or multiple up) and create something they will need during later strategy activities.
- Give everyone an individual question that fits them perfectly. Have them ask the question of everyone. During introductions, the group introduces each individual as they share all their answers about a specific person.
- Ask a most, least, best, or worst question that everyone answers.
- Ask a first question: What was your first friend? First love? First job? First thing you did this morning? The first thing you do in a new city?
- Ask a last question: Last thing on your mind? Last time you felt like a kid? Last time you were shocked? Last time you did something that scared you?
- Ask a never question: What are you never doing? Have never done but would like to? Never thought (when you were young) that you would (or wouldn’t) be doing this all the time? Something you never thought you'd admit this to a group of co-workers but here it is?
- Create a laundry list of odd (but not necessarily embarrassing) activities. Have people select one to do when it is their turn to introduce themselves.
Do you see a starting point in these ideas? If so, let us know what you try and how it works. If not, try here, here, or here for even more fun strategic planning icebreaker activities you could try. – Mike Brown
