Whether you are running a Train The Trainer programme, or any other development subject, the purpose of any icebreaker is to enable each delegate to feel at home at the earliest opportunity. Icebreakers should also enable delegates to get to know something of their fellow participants and to find their own voice and contribute as early into the programme as possible. However, finding the right icebreaker to achieve the objectives appropriate to the delegate group and the subject area can sometimes be a challenge.
I recently attended a programme where the icebreaker was very standard and we were asked to introduce ourselves, our jobs and how long we had been in our roles and to add something about ourselves. It did the job, to a point, but in my view the responses were pretty standard and well rehearsed.
I reflected on the opening of a programme I had once observed which was held in the Middle East. The trainer, from Mumbai, was a professional story teller and he introduced his icebreaker by telling the group that a well structured story had a beginning, a middle and an end, with one surprise somewhere along the way. He then invited the delegates to consider their lives thus far as a story and to share it with their fellow delegates. He added the story should be entitled ‘This is Me’ or ‘This is my Life’
The group of 12 delegates was given 10 minutes to consider their individual story and 3 minutes each to deliver it. The result was amazing. Each individual took care about what they included, focussing on what was important to them and their lives. The results were richer, deeper and more varied, enabling everyone to have full control and to really share something about themselves. The stories were inspirational, interesting, in some cases funny and really showcased each individual which a glimpse of who they were, not just what they did. The stories also gave a huge insight into the character of each person and showed their communication style, level of energy and vitality.
So, whether you are running a Train The Trainer Training programme, or any other 2+ day programme, this is certainly an icebreaker than I would recommend.
By Kasmin Cooney OBE | Righttrack’s Managing Director