Welcome back to ‘The Leaders’ Edge’ – your destination for top-notch leadership insights! Get ready to enhance your leadership skills and empower your team.
To kick things off, I have an exciting challenge for you. Watch this quick video where I’ll guide you through a memory challenge that sheds light on the significance of timely feedback. It’s truly eye-opening! 🧠✨
DIY Team Icebreaker
Geek of the Week
This icebreaker is perfect for getting to know each other and provides an opportunity for team members to share their passions outside of work. This activity works well on a team that is open to having fun and willing to try new things!
STEP ONE:
Introduce the icebreaker concept: Over the next few meetings (you decide how many based on your schedule), we’ll dedicate the first 5-10 minutes for a team member to share about their favourite hobby or interest; something they love to ‘geek out’ over. They can bring in an artifact, show a video, teach a skill, or simply talk about it. As the leader, it works well for you to model an example at the meeting where you introduce this idea. After you have introduced it and modelled it, invite volunteers to sign up to be the ‘Geek of the Week’ at your subsequent meetings.
EXAMPLES:
To inspire volunteers, here are some examples:
- Love fishing? Share tips on how to locate the best fishing spots in a lake, bring in and explain your favourite lure, and then show a video of you landing the big one.
- Enjoy scuba diving? Bring in a few pieces of gear, explain the process of getting a diving license, and share photos of your underwater adventures.
- Into smoking meat? Discuss your smoker of choice, explain how the process works, share your secret brisket recipe, and bring in samples for your team to try.
- Big time yogi? Talk about why you love yoga so much, and then teach your team members how to do 3 different poses.
STEP TWO:
A few days ahead of the meetings, send a quick reminder email to the “Geek of the Week” that they are ‘up’ at the next meeting. Add it to the meeting agenda to get your team excited about what is to come!
VIRTUAL MEETING ADAPTATION:
For virtual meetings, encourage the use of visuals, videos, and live demonstrations to enhance engagement.
SPEED ROUND ADAPTATION:
For a quicker version of this icebreaker, start your meeting by asking, “What are three things we should know about your favourite hobby?” Give everyone a minute to think and jot down their points. Then, go around the circle if your team is small, or pair off and share if the group is large.
Have fun geeking out and exploring each other’s interests!
Monthly Inspiration
Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. And if you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.
Jobber
