Three Quick Group Activities for Meeting Leaders

Leading a group can be a daunting task, especially if you are new to the group or the group needs a bit of focus. Opening your meeting with a group game is a great icebreaker and a way to gel the group quickly into a team. Group activities are also great to use after meeting breaks to re-energize tired participants or to introduce a lead into a new topic.

Use the following quick, motivational activities to turn your next meeting into a super-charged, dynamic session:

Personal Interview Ice-Breaker

Divide group participants into pairs. Ask each pair of participants to have one member introduce themselves while the other listens for one full minute. Then reverse roles for the next minute. Instruct the participants to tell their partner a minimum of their name, title (role in the company or other applicable status,) their home state (or country,) and their favorite hobbies or recreational activities.

Time the exchange, letting the group know when one minute has passed and that it is time for the other partner to speak. Time the exchange again, letting the group know when one minute has passed and that it is time to bring their focus back to the general meeting.

Go around the room, in the order of your choice, and ask meeting members to introduce their interviewee.

This is a great way for meeting members to bond with other meeting members and for you and the group at large to get a basic introduction to the participants. After the group introductions are completed, introduce yourself to the group.

Middle Meeting Pulse Check

Divide group participants into subgroups of three to four people. Instruct each subgroup to discuss the current progress and topics of the meeting. Be sure to stress that they should discuss both the positive and negative. Let each group know they have five minutes to complete their discussion.

This exercise allows the meeting members to feel more engaged with the meeting and more connected to their fellow group participants. This also allows for a free exchange of ideas and enhancing the participant's overall learning experience.

After five minutes, ask the subgroups to rejoin as a larger group again. Then, if time permits, as for a member of each subgroup to report on their group findings. If you are pressed for time, ask the group in general for feedback on their discussions.

Use this time to review points made earlier in the meeting and to gauge the effectiveness of the meeting. Then use the feedback to emphasis key points, introduce new information, and adjust the pace or content of the remainder of the meeting.

Meet The Goal

Prior to the meeting get together a supply of pens and paper to have on hand for participants who may arrive without them. At the beginning of the meeting, ask each participant to write down one to two goals of which they expect to accomplish at today's meeting. Goals may be as simple as "making new friends," or more elaborate, such as "understanding the modern dynamics of meeting leadership."

Ask for volunteers to share their goals. This will help you set the stage for meeting success. By knowing what your participants expect to get from the meeting, you'll be able to help them achieve their goals. Also, if someone mentions an unobtainable goal or a goal that does not fit within the scope of the meeting, you'll be able to address this up front.

At the end of the meeting, ask the participants to re-visit their goals and note whether they have been successfully met. Then, ask the group to share any goals that have not been accomplished. This will give you the chance to review items the meeting member may have missed or clarify items the member may have misunderstood. It will also give you the opportunity to make alternative suggestions for achieving goals that were not within the scope of the meeting. It's also a great way to ensure that meeting participants leave happy!