Retrospective Ice Breakers: The Convenient Way To Build Strong Teams

Wondering what to do at your next team-building retreat? Give it a try to retrospective ice breakers! A group retrospective is a great way to bring your team closer and share your agile retrospective ideas.

Companies that have completely engaged employees can double their revenue. According to Jim Harter, the Chief Scientist at Gallup, “Measurement is one thing, what you measure is another”. He further explains that you can measure a handful of things that don’t help organizations bring any positive change.

The retrospective is a time for team members to discuss what has worked, what hasn’t, and where the team can grow. However many people struggle with making it meaningful and actionable. You might try several retro ice breaker games to make them more enjoyable and effective. Both conventional and remote teams might benefit from engaging in icebreaker events to strengthen their bonds.

What are Fun Retrospective Ice Breakers?

Retrospective ice breakers are a great way to get the team talking, and they can be used at the beginning of a retrospective meeting to get everyone focused.

A good retrospective icebreaker is short, fun, and engaging. It helps in setting the tone for the meeting by encouraging people to let go of their inhibitions and get involved in the discussion ahead.

The best retrospective ice breakers reflect your team’s culture and personality. They should be interesting enough to keep people engaged in the session but not so difficult that they take too much time.

Why are Fun Retrospective Icebreakers Good to Use?

Retrospective icebreakers are good to use when you want to get the team members to open up and share their thoughts on the project. This is actually an effective retrospective technique. This can be done during the initial stage of the project or the final stage. These activities aim to get people to talk with each other, work together as a team, and strengthen relationships.

Here are some reasons why you should use engaging and fun retrospective icebreakers:

• To get to know each other: Icebreakers help people get to know each other better. They help break down the “work” barrier and promote more open communication.
• To break down the “work” barrier: Icebreakers can help overcome the natural tension between people who work together but don’t know each other very well.
• To bond as a team: Icebreakers are a great way to foster bonding among your team members. They can also give you insights into how well your team functions together and what areas need improvement.

→ Related content: Highlights & Lowlights retrospective

Retrospective Ice Breakers for Team Building

Icebreakers are a great way to get to know your co-workers and meet new people. They can help you build rapport, organize, and increase productivity. Here are some icebreakers that will help you bond with your team members:

     1. Create a Playlist

You first need each person to create their Spotify or Apple Music playlist. You can use this team-building icebreaker as an exercise for yourself, or you can use it in your next meeting. Engaging everyone in the process is the goal.

     2. Share an Object

One of the easiest icebreakers is having each team member bring an object representing something about them. Each person then gets up and shares the significance of their thing, making for a great way to get people talking about themselves and each other.

     3. Constellations

This is fun and can be done in just about any group setting. Have everyone write down what they want in a partner (what traits they want) and then pair off with someone with similar tastes. You can then see if you match up with your partner by comparing your lists and seeing how many traits match up between you. This works best if everyone has similar ideas in mind or identical personality types, so there isn’t too much variance in what each person wants in a partner.

     4. Create a Dance

Dance is one of the easiest ways to bond with others in a fun, non-threatening way. You can teach employees how to do the Macarena or some other popular dance to show off their moves at the next company party.

     5. Commonality

Ask people about things they have in common with each other (favorite sports teams, hobbies) or something that happened in their lives that brought them together as friends or family members (graduations, births). This will help create an instant connection between people who may not otherwise think they have much in common.

Retro Ice Breaker Games

Retro ice breaker games are a great way to introduce yourself to people. They’re also a great way to get people talking and laughing with each other.

Some of the best ways to do this are through games and exercises such as:

• Aliens have landed
• The birth map
• Mindfulness ice breaker
• Marshmallow challenge
• Line up
• One word exercise
• Flat lay your desk
• Two truths and a lie
• A picture of your life
• 10 common things
• Scavenger hunt
• Guess the artist

List of Fun Retro Icebreaker Questions

Here are some retro icebreaker questions and answers:

• Could you be any animal and why?
• What is your most memorable experience from childhood?
• Where would you go if you could go anywhere in the world on vacation?
• If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
• What movie series do you enjoy seeing repeatedly?
• What karaoke tune do you always choose?
• Favorite cause for charitable giving?
• What would be the name of your ring persona if you were a wrestler?
• What do you do to juggle work and life?
• Have you got a favorite comic or comedy show?
• Which marine animal would you most like to see in person?
• The person with the most siblings?
• Do aliens really exist?
• Which holiday is your favorite?
• What is your favorite thing about yourself?
• Best trip you have ever been on?
• Favorite restaurant to eat in town?
• Do you have a favorite game or sport you love to play?
• Which country would you love to travel to next?

→ Try out AgileBox – Agile Retrospectives for Jira 

Conclusion

It’s always helpful to see real-world examples of how different companies and businesses attempt to build their culture. These retrospective icebreakers can be a catalyst for creative ideas at work.

Agile Planning Poker is a simple and fun way to help teams improve their scoping techniques. Teams must look at the work of others and estimate the relative difficulty of the work so that they can understand what can be accomplished in an iteration.