What Others Are Saying
Our instructor took time to involve everyone and answer questions with good solid answers. His expertise is very strong. He was very thorough in presenting and being sure we understood what he was teaching.
Seminar Attendee
Why Use Icebreakers?
by Dutch Driver
[Icebreakers have gotten a bad rap -- "all fluff," "not worth the time." Dutch provides a differing opinion.]
My first assumption is that training is a form of persuasion.
Icebreakers are part and parcel of a phenomenon known as the "preliminary tuning effect." Study of the effect comes from persuasion theory, i.e., that not all members of the audience are able to respond to a persuasive effort at the same time. There is, for lack of a better phrase, "cognitive noise" that is interfering with the speaker's (your) message.
For example, prior to a training session, a participant was notified that s/he is going to get a promotion with a substantial raise. Their thoughts more than likely need to be tuned away from the pending promotion and toward the purpose of the training session to come in order to increase receptivity to the course content. Five minutes at the start of a training to bring everyone "into the room" is not wasted time.
My second assumption is that training happens in groups and is subject to group dynamics.
Icebreakers allow those who are sensitive to the power and political dynamics of the room to take stock and settle in. If there is an extreme power differential within the group, the icebreaker acts to level this differential and promote future productive conflict instead of destructive conflict.
I think a very "real" reason many object to using icebreakers is a personal predilection toward task accomplishment and not toward relationship building. And I am not persuaded by anecdotal and personal evidence to the contrary. I know about the "preliminary tuning effect" and as a well-schooled communicator choose to use it to my best advantage.
Dutch Driver is an experienced meeting facilitator and OD professional with over twenty-five years work experience. After starting his career in the oilfields of West Texas, Dutch has gained leadership and operational management experience in many different environments, including energy, retail, healthcare, academia, entertainment and marketing/distribution. More about Dutch here. Email Dutch.
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