Always, always evaluate your Icebreaker!

When you run an Icebreaker, ensure that you make time to allow your trainees to share their findings and experiences from the Icebreaker.  You can ask them to discuss their findings in their groups, by giving them specific questions to answer.  Then they can take their turns to share them with the rest of the group, whilst you write their findings down on the flip chart or whiteboard for everyone to see. 

Here are 7 reasons as to why you should collate the findings after running your Icebreaker.....

1. Recording what people say about the Icebreaker adds value to their thoughts and encourages your trainees to take ownership of what they have learnt and achieved from the Icebreaker.
2. By listening to each others feedback it will enhance your trainees learning’s and give them the opportunity to look at their experiences from different perspectives. 
3. When your trainees are discussing their experiences, this will help them be more relaxed and encourage them to build rapport with the other trainees and to participate more during the rest of the training.
4. When you want to stress a point of theory and use a real-life example during the day’s presentations you may find that you can use the feedback and/or experiences gained from the Icebreaker that you have played.  These examples will also resonate more with your audience as it involves them rather than you using some examples of people who they do not know.
5. Often the feedback and experiences that you get not only can be used in this training but can also be used in other trainings as well.
6. The trainees may also share what they learnt about themselves which will in turn develop themselves and everyone will also learn from each other.
7. The feedback that you receive may also highlight how you can run the Icebreaker better next time.

So all in all it is a big thumbs up for collating the findings at the end of your icebreaker.  :-)

 

Comments

[J. K.M. Nair]

It is very important to evaluate the icebreaker even before you do it. I have seen icebreakers collapsing the entire training session hitting the iceberg like a Titanik.

First evaluate the group, their mind philosophy and select the ice breaker

b regards to all

J K M Nair
Director and CEO
Training $olutions International
A unit of : Total $olutions International