Your role as a moderator

Thank you for agreeing to moderate a breakout room! We're excited to try this virtual networking format.

• Below are some some starter questions (icebreakers, general questions related to the breakout room topics), but if you have a list of topics or questions you want to use to frame the conversation, you’re welcome to do so.
• We want to make it clear that you aren’t there to answer questions (it’s not an ask-me-anything session with you getting hit in the face with pies!).
• That said, with a participant hat on, you can participate however you think it makes sense for you to participate, e.g., if someone does have a question you feel comfortable fielding, you can refer them to the helpdesk or the KB or staff in DLCs who are doing something with whatever the question’s about, or you can also actually answer the question or offer to take the conversation offline with that person, but only if you feel comfortable doing so.

How things will work

Networking is officially scheduled for 12:25pm-1:10pm, but the rooms will be available for people to join starting at 12:15pm. Please join the room by 12:25pm.

Breakout room moderators

If you need support, see Questions? Concerns? Technical difficulties? Contact us!

Icebreakers and other starter questions

Icebreakers can seem cringeworthy, but are actually a great way to put people into listening/sharing mode.

NOTE:  If you choose to do an icebreaker we recommend you volunteering to go first and then selecting a person on either side of you to go next, that person answers and they get to select a person to either side to go next and so on.

One Word Game

The One Word icebreaker allows you to provide initial context into a meeting's topic, and get everyone in the right mindset for discussion.

To play, let's say you're leading a meeting on training. They must describe training in one word. This game encourages everyone to think about a certain topic ahead of time, which could increase participation during the meeting.

Would You Rather

A classic game played at summer camps everywhere, "Would You Rather" is actually an excellent, quick icebreaker. Randomly choose 4 or 5 people and ask each person a "Would You Rather" question.

Here are a few "Would You Rather" questions to get you started:

• Would you rather read a book or surf the internet?
• Would you rather go to a 5 star restaurant or cook a gourmet meal?
• Would you rather have a horrible short term memory or a horrible long term memory?

Two Truths and a Lie

For smaller groups the more classic icebreaker, Two Truths and a Lie can be used. To play, you simply ask each person to brainstorm three "facts" about themselves -- two of the facts will be true, and one will be a lie.

For instance, I might say, "I once auditioned for the TV show Zoom. I have three brothers. I ziplined in Switzerland once." Coworkers can take turns guessing which is the lie. (FYI, I have two brothers, not three, so that's the lie. Unfortunately, I did audition for Zoom.)

Two Truths and a Lie is a fun and engaging game, and more importantly, it can help your team learn facts about one another.

One Word Pulse Check

For this icebreaker, have everyone on your team go around and share a word or phrase that represents how they feel that day - how they are handling remote work - how they feel about coming back to a full campus in September - any simple thought that helps people express themselves.

Fun Questions

Asking fun questions is an easy and effective icebreaker game. To play, simply go around the room and have each person provide an answer to a fun question. The questions are up to you, but if you're stuck, here are a few ideas:

• If you're stranded on a desert island and have the option of bringing three items with you, what three items would they be?
• If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
• What was the first concert you ever went to?
• If you could have any celebrity over for dinner, who would it be and why?

• What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done for fun?

• What song best describes you?

• If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it by and why?

• If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

• What was your favorite television show as a kid?

• If you were a color, what would it be?

• Where is one place you’d love to travel to?

• What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

These questions serve two purposes -- first, they allow your coworkers to get into a sillier, more creative mindset. Second, they encourage conversation on topics typically reserved for outside the office, which enables members of your team to get to know one another on a deeper level.

Questions? Concerns? Technical difficulties? Contact us!

• Someone from the IT Partners Planning Team will be Zoom throughout the entire conference. We'll be listed as panelists/hosts/co-hosts.
• To chat with us live during the conference:
  • In Zoom, send a message to "All Panelists."
  OR
  
  • On Slack, use the #2021-conference-logistics channel.
• If you have questions or concerns in advance, please reach out to the team on Slack or via email (itpartners-plan@mit.edu).
  
  

Go back to 2021 IT Partners Virtual Conference - Tuesday, June 15