Icebreaker question wheel

How to run it in two minutes

1. Put the wheel on screen before people arrive. On a video call, share the tab and press F for full screen so the question is readable on a laptop.
2. Spin once for the whole room. One shared question is faster than a fresh spin per person, and it puts everyone on the same footing.
3. Go round in a fixed order, about 15 seconds each. In a group of eight that is two minutes; above ten people, hear three or four volunteers instead of the full circle.
4. Answer first yourself. A short, slightly ordinary answer from the person running the meeting sets the length and tone for everyone else.
5. Say thanks and move to the agenda. No follow-up questions, no voting on the best answer.

What makes an icebreaker question work

Good icebreakers are low-risk: nobody has to reveal anything about family, health, money, religion or politics, and there is no wrong answer. They can be answered in one sentence, and they work as well for someone who joined last week as for someone who has been here ten years.

That is why this list leaves out “most embarrassing moment” and “tell us about your weekend”. The first puts people on the spot. The second quietly compares whose life sounds more exciting, and it is hard on anyone going through a rough patch.

Make it yours

• Pass is always allowed: say so before the first spin, and mean it. People relax faster when they know they can opt out.
• Retire used questions: click Remove on the winner card after the meeting, so a weekly team gets something new each time. Press Reset when the list runs low.
• Write for your team: add questions about your own field, like “A tool you’d hate to lose” for engineers or “A favorite customer moment” for support.
• Big sessions: with 20 or more people, have them answer in pairs or threes for two minutes, then hear two answers in the room. The team generator splits the room in a click.