50 Icebreakers for Your Next Zoom Meeting

Have you ever met someone entirely new over Zoom for the very first time? Of course you have. Now, have you ever had butterflies wondering what you’re going to say to break the ice with that new contact? Yup. It happens to the best of us.

Icebreakers aren’t just cheesy or silly, but rather, they can help you build interesting context around the person you’re meeting. For instance, if you ask them what they wish they’d studied in college, and they say psychology, you can follow up with that interesting new study you saw in Scientific American. If someone admits to being a night owl and not an early bird, you can schedule a late-night follow-up email as a reference to their preference.

Context leads to rapport, and rapport leads to stronger connections -- in both business, and life. So, please ask some (gently) probing questions, and use these 50 icebreakers in your next call. (And whatever they answer, don’t forget to jot a note down in Warmly, so you remember their secret skill!)

1. What’s your favorite dish that reminds you of childhood?
2. What’s your comfort food?
3. Are you a beach or a mountain person and why?
4. What is a hobby you've always wanted to pick up?
5. What was your first concert you went to?
6. Who’s a famous person you’ve met?
7. If you could write a book, what genre would you write it in? (ie mystery, thriller, romance, historical fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, etc?)
8. What’s a secret skill you have?
9. What’s the first thing you bought with your own money?
10. What’s your favorite place to go when you want to be alone?
11. What was your first job?
12. If you could spend an extra $100 on yourself each week, what would you do?
13. If you could get another degree in something now, what would you study?
14. What show or movie have you really enjoyed recently?
15. How do you like to relax?
16. Which actor would you want to play you in a movie?
17. What’s your beverage of choice?
18. What TV show or movie do you want to watch next?
19. What was the last place you traveled to?
20. Are you an early bird or a night owl?
21. What’s your best tip to not go crazy indoors?
22. What’s a funny corona meme or video you've seen?
23. What’s the first thing you’re gonna do when the quarantine is over?
24. What is something you got into trouble for in high school?
25. What’s the worst job you ever had?
26. What’s something you tried, but will never try again?
27. What’s one thing that’s happened to you that has made you a stronger person?
28. What’s one thing that’s happened to you in your life that made you feel weak?
29. Where is one place you feel most like yourself?
30. Where is your favorite place to escape to?
31. Who do you think has had the largest influence on the person you are today?
32. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
33. If you had one day left to live, what would you do first?
34. What decade do you feel you most belong in?
35. Who are you closest to in your family? Why?
36. Who is the one person in this world that knows you best?
37. What is your favorite quality about your best friend?
38. When you were younger what did you think you were going to be when you grew up?
39. If you could identify with one fictional character (from a book, show, or movie) who would it be?
40. Do you easily accept compliments? Or do you hate compliments?
41. Is your favorite attribute about yourself physical or non-physical?
42. What is your favorite physical attribute about yourself?
43. What is your favorite non-physical attribute about yourself?
44. Do you believe in love at first sight?
45. Do you believe in soul mates?
46. How seriously do you take horoscopes?
47. Have you ever been in love? How many times?
48. What makes you fall in love with someone?
49. What does vulnerability mean to you? What has the ability to make you vulnerable?
50. What’s one thing you’re scared to ask a woman/man, but really want to?