When you’re kicking off a meeting or workshop, a simple, high-energy competition can completely shift the vibe in the room.
This activity works perfectly as an icebreaker for adults, a quick team building game for work, or a lively group activity for meetings that sets a collaborative tone right from the start.
Note: The brand new Future Focused We! Connect Cards featured in this video are free (and only available*) to attendees of the 2025 Connectors Summit.
Setup: Grab, Conceal, and Team Up
Here’s how it goes: each participant grabs a random card from the center of the table. (Pro tip: using the Future Focused We! Connect Cards makes this especially fun, since every card has a thought-provoking word or question on it.)
Once everyone has a card, keep it hidden! Then, team up with another table to form a group of 7–8 people.
Round One – Alphabetical Order Challenge
The first challenge is simple, but it moves fast. Teams must stand in alphabetical order based on the word written on each card.
As soon as your team finishes arranging, shout it out loud! Declare your victory so everyone knows you’re the best. The energy, movement, and laughter this creates are contagious.
This first round is simply to teach the mechanics of the exercise and create some energy and laughter in under 30 seconds. Perfect when you want people to connect quickly without overthinking.
Round Two – Prioritize What Matters
Once the energy is high, it’s time for round two. Split your group in half so you’re mixing up teammates again.
This time, instead of alphabetical order, teams must arrange themselves based on how important the words on their cards are to their work from most important to least important.
This version sparks deeper conversation and light debate. It’s quick but meaningful, and it encourages participants to articulate their values and priorities.
Perfect team building activity for work, this round moves beyond surface-level fun and opens up reflection about what really matters to your organization.
Debrief: Celebrate and Reflect
Perhaps you gift the winning group a price. I handed out a copy of Ask Powerful Questions as their prize, an excellent team building book for leaders that strengthen communication.
But as my mate, Mark Collard would say: “Without reflection, no learning can occur.”
After celebrating, ask the winning team to explain their rationale for the order they chose. For example, one group ordered their cards like this:
- Listening – “Listening to clients, teammates, and ourselves is essential.”
- Passion – “It fuels our purpose and keeps us motivated.”
- Organization – “Keeps us on track and helps us manage the many moving parts of our work.”
- Wisdom – “Important, but less central to daily interactions.”
This reflection adds depth and meaning to what started as a simple game. It becomes a mini workshop on collaboration, communication, and shared values.
Why This Icebreaker Works
This activity is fast, fun, and meaningful, all the hallmarks of a great icebreaker for work meetings. It combines competition, teamwork, and thoughtful discussion in just a few minutes.
It’s also incredibly flexible. You can use this as:
- A warm-up for team building workshops
- A fun icebreaker for large groups
- A conversation starter that invites deeper connection
- Or a perfect exercise to choose or highlight your core values
And with a set of Future Focused We! Connect Cards or We! Engage Cards, you’ll have endless variations on this activity.
Want More Connection-Building Tools?
Get access to our FREE printable cards, book excerpts, and discount codes to bring more meaningful connection to your next meeting or classroom at weand.me/tools.
