Exercise Title: Group Mingle

Exercise Type: Icebreaker, opener

Time Required: 10 minutes
Suggested Group Size: Any
Suggested Age Group: Teenagers, adults
Activity Level: Light

Materials Needed: None.

Venue: Any.

Purpose/Outcome: This exercise breaks the ice in a newly formed group by getting full participantion immediately, increasing the energy in the room, and can provide information to help tailor your work to individual groups.

Activity Description: Inform your group that for the next 10 minutes, you're going to ask them to do a "group mingle." Their instructions are to meet as many people in the room as possible and they are to follow this protocol: Approach the first person you make eye contact with and stand facing one another. One person will say, "Hello, my name is (first name), and ask a question you have posed to them relevant to your purpose for being there. The other will respond by saying, "Hi, my name is (first name), and answer the assigned question. Then this person will ask the same question of the other and listen to their response. You then move on to someone else and repeat the process.

Debrief/Facilitator Notes: I often use questions such as, "What do you want to leave this workshop having accomplished?" Or it could be a topic-relevant question. For instance, in a time management workshop, you might have them ask, "What is your biggest challenge in managing your time?" Debriefing this activity can be a great way to dive into the workshop or meeting content and can let you know up front what people are there to learn.

Learning Points: Not applicable.

Application:: Not applicable.

Resources: Not applicable

About the Author: Steve Davis, M.A., M.S., is an Facilitator's Coach, Infoprenuer, and free-lance human, helping facilitators, organizational leaders, educators, trainers, coaches and consultants present themselves confidently, access their creativity, empower their under-performing groups, enhance their facilitation skills, and build their business online and offline. Subscribe to his free weekly ezine at www.MasterFacilitatorJournal.com or visit www.livingmastery.com to learn more about him and his offerings.