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25 questions

Icebreakers for workshops and training sessions

A training icebreaker has two jobs. It gets people talking, and it tells the person running the session what the room already knows, what they want from the day and where the doubts are.

These questions are aimed at the topic of the session without needing to be rewritten for each one. Ask one or two at the start, and come back to the expectation questions at the end to check whether the session delivered.

What brought you to this session, and what do you hope to leave with?

All 25 questions

  1. What brought you to this session, and what do you hope to leave with?
  2. What do you already know about today's topic?
  3. On a scale of one to five, how confident do you feel about this topic right now?
  4. What is one question you would like answered by the end of today?
  5. What is the best workshop or class you have ever attended, and why did it work?
  6. How do you learn best: reading, watching, discussing or doing?
  7. What is one challenge in your work that today's topic could help with?
  8. What is a myth about this topic you have heard?
  9. Share one thing you learned this year that changed how you work.
  10. If you had to teach this topic to a ten-year-old, where would you start?
  11. What is your role, and who do you work with most?
  12. What would make today a success for you?
  13. What is one thing you tried that did not work, and what did you learn from it?
  14. Which skill do you use every day that you never had formal training for?
  15. What is the most useful tool you use in your job?
  16. What does good work look like in your role?
  17. What is a habit you would like to build after this session?
  18. If you could ask an expert one question about this topic, what would it be?
  19. What is something you are curious about but have never had time to explore?
  20. Share a time when a small change made a big difference at work.
  21. What is the best piece of feedback you have ever received?
  22. What is your favourite way to take notes?
  23. What usually stops good ideas from a training session being used afterwards?
  24. Who will you share what you learn today with?
  25. What is one word that describes how you feel about learning something new?

Tips for using these questions

  • Write the answers to "what do you hope to leave with" where everyone can see them, and tick them off during the day.
  • In large groups, ask people to answer at their table, then take two or three answers from the whole room.
  • Use the confidence scale questions at the start and the end to show the group how far they have come.

Need a speaking order or groups? The team generator and turn picker makes them in one click. For more ideas, read how to run an icebreaker that people actually enjoy.

Questions people ask

How many workshops and training questions should I use in one session?

One question is enough for a regular meeting. For a workshop or a team's first session, two or three work well. Save the rest for later meetings so they stay fresh.

What if someone does not want to answer?

Let them pass, without comment. A forced answer makes the whole group less comfortable, and the point of an icebreaker is the opposite.

Can I print this list?

Yes. Print the page from your browser, or copy the questions into your own slides or notes.

More icebreaker questions