In spite of the misconception that icebreakers are only for shy people and the introverts, the truth is that sometimes even a skilled orator can have trouble finding his words or run out of ideas on how to initiate a discussion. More often than not, icebreakers are used at an event or a meeting, when a person is trying to conduct a discussion with a stranger or an acquaintance whom they do not really know much about.
Whether or not the following conversation icebreakers will be efficient in the situation you find yourself mostly depends on how comfortable you feel, as your confidence is what makes you a fun person, while you can be certain your interlocutors will feel at ease as well.
We understand that getting the conversation started is not an always easy task. To help you out, we’ve created a top 10 list of conversation incebreaker ideas for fun and easy ways to break the ice.
1. Go say “Hello!”
Sometimes, breaking the ice is as simple as making the courage to go that person, saying Hi! and introducing yourself. Now, if you happen to build the confidence to put on an infectious, sincere smile you can be certain that the entire scene will not feel awkward. In general, a smile shows your interlocutor that you are a warm, kind person and you enjoy meeting new people. Therefore, he/she will not be forced to adopt a defensive position and will feel comfortable talking to you.
2. Help out with a small task
You won’t believe how many good friendships started out with somebody offering his/her help with a minor task. For instance, if you are at the gym, aiding somebody you like perform certain type of exercises is usually a surefire way to strike a conversation. At the same time, if you happen to be at a party, then helping the host or the person in charge of the drinks pour the beverage and serve the guest is surely not going to go by unnoticed.
3. Talk about music
In case the event or meeting you are attending implies music and dancing, then you can approach the person you like by making a smart remark about the band/artist/genre of music that is playing. Essentially, taking about music is two-folded, since you can create a connection based on the fact that you both enjoy the same music as well as get to learn more about your interlocutor’s preferences from the type of music and lifestyle he/she prefers. Therefore, not only will they share their personal insight on the music, but also will most likely explain why they like it as well.
4. Ask about their personal beliefs
In the eventuality that your interlocutor has been staring at a picture for a while now or simply wears a custom t-shirt with a quote, then use that as a conversation icebreaker. For example, if the person you would like to talk to is dressed in a t-shirt indicating that he/she fights for saving the environment and you ask about his opinion on the matter, the conversation will easily continue on its own.
5. Inquire about whether he/she is a night or day person
If you are at a meeting and you notice that the person you are interested in looks rather bored, yawns or is completely absent, then you can start a discussion by asking a silly question such as “Mornings are not your thing, huh?” or “So, you’re an owl just like X?”. Irrespective of whether you guessed the interlocutor’s answer, you can continue the conversation easily from this point. For instance, if he/she is a night person, then you can talk about your favorite things to do in town, the clubs you usually go to, etc. On the other hand, if she/he is a morning person then you can inquire about the favorite activities as well as find out where the person works, the favorite drinks, so on and so forth.
6. Play games
If you happen to be the host of a party or an event, then the perfect way to eliminate the awkward silence nobody enjoys is to get your guests involved in fun games. Even though everyone will most likely find the idea ridiculous (and they will probably hate you for a short while), it is one of the best ways to get your guests to start talking to each other. Since you broke the ice for them, soon you will notice that the discussion is no longer only about the game.
7. Ask your interlocutor about his/her favorite season
Let’s say that you are invited to a barbecue party and you notice that somebody you would like to talk to is experiencing discomfort because of the heat. If you are really interested in that person, then the perfect way to break the ice is to ask that person about their favorite season. Essentially, you will not only find out the response, but you can be certain that the conversation will get going naturally considering that people also think about various activities they enjoy doing during that season.
8. Make a comment regarding the surroundings
In the eventuality that the party or event takes places in an impressive ambience, then one efficient way to break the ice and start a conversation with somebody whom you are interested in comprises of making a comment regarding the surroundings. More often than not, a simple comment on the finesse of the interior design or a witty remark about the focal point of the room is enough to initiate a conversation.
9. Talk about movies
Similar to talking about music, asking somebody about their favorite genre, actor, the last movie they saw or their impressions of the movie they just watched is a good way to get a conversation going. Just make sure the settings are appropriate.
10. Come clean and admit the awkward silence
It happens to the best of us: after the introductions and small chitchat, we found ourselves in the embarrassing and uncomfortable situations when everyone stops talking and the entire room is draped in an awkward silence. The best thing you can do in this case is make your interlocutors aware of the silence and propose something silly like talking about the weather. Discussing the weather is an excellent way of finding and bringing various new topics into discussion.
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