Click the wheel or press space to spin
Meeting icebreaker wheel for the first five minutes
One question for the whole room, thirty seconds each. Enough for every voice to be heard before the agenda starts.
Meetings open badly in the same way everywhere: the chair asks whether anyone has anything to share and the room goes quiet. A specific question is far easier to answer, especially when everyone answers the same one. The twelve here take thirty seconds, ask nothing personal, and work as well on a video call as they do around a table.
How do I run an icebreaker without losing the meeting?
Spin one question, share your screen, and give each person thirty seconds to answer in turn. The whole thing should take five minutes.
- Spin one question for everyone
A shared question is easier to answer than a different one per person.
- Set the thirty seconds out loud
Say the limit before you start. Without one, the opener eats the meeting.
- Use a clear order
Go down the participant list or round the table, so nobody is skipped and nobody has to volunteer.
Meeting icebreaker questions
Does this work on a video call?
Yes. Share the browser window and spin, and everyone sees both the question and the fact that it was picked at random. On a call, going down the participant list works better than going round a table.
Should I add more personal questions to build rapport?
Not on the wheel. A personal question puts quieter colleagues in an awkward spot, because they cannot choose which question they get. All twelve here can be answered without disclosing anything.
How long do twelve questions last a weekly team?
With remove after win on, twelve covers three months of weekly meetings. Save the wheel to your account and add to it as you go, since the best questions are always the ones a team writes for itself.