THE POWER OF ICE BREAKERS

A few Sundays ago in Church I had a memorable experience.

After service, I stopped by the restroom & met 2 women having a conversation.

I had spotted them earlier during service when they walked in.

We exchanged a civil 'hello'.

While they were still talking, I politely interjected to inform them that I really liked their outfits - which I did.

Next thing...

Their faces beamed with smiles.

One of the ladies mentioned she had noticed my jacket and loved it.

The other lady mentioned she had been checking out my necklace.

We laughed, chatted a bit and I wished them a good day before exiting the restroom.

The experience reminded me of the power of 'ice breakers'.

Sometimes, people appear reserved (or rude even) upon early interaction.

As an introvert, I understand this can happen.

That is why ice breakers are important.

They diffuse tense situations and create the opportunity for conversations that can lead to longer engagements.

One of my best friend's today is as a result of an ice breaker.

In our case, it was a debate about Christianity.

We were introduced one night by a mutual friend at our University dormitory.

The topic of Catholicism and the Virgin Mary came up & GBAM - debate started.

Long story short...

We debated for about 2 hours, identified points of agreement and disagreement, laughed well, and made plans to meet for lunch the next day.

Fast forward to years later and now we're best friends.

Such is life.

Don't underestimate the power of ice breakers.

They are effective as conversation starters in work and social settings.

They are great for team bonding activities, stakeholder engagements, forming new connections at conferences, and more.