In this exercise, called Choice of Worlds, you’ll see just how powerful one intentional word can be in transforming conversations, meetings, and even your year ahead.
This activity is simple, reflective, and powerful, an ideal conversation starter, icebreaker for meetings, or team building exercise for adults that sparks both personal insight and collective engagement.
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.
Words Shape Worlds
In a previous exercise, we saw how words, though simple can unlock deep reflection. What begins as a lighthearted game quickly turns into something meaningful. That’s the beauty of words: each one holds the potential to shape what happens next.
As one of my mentors once said, “A choice of words is often a choice of worlds.”
That’s where this next activity gets its name.
The Exercise: Choice of Worlds
Here’s the idea. Imagine that instead of a stack of cards, there are 60 pairs of glasses sitting on your table. Each “pair of glasses” represents a word.
When you choose a word, you’re choosing the lens through which you’ll see the world.
For example:
- If you pick confidence, you might listen for ways to uplift a client or colleague who’s feeling unsure.
- If you pick structure, you might notice opportunities to bring more organization and clarity to your team.
Choose Your Lens
Now, narrow the focus: choose just one word to guide you for the day.
That word becomes your lens, something you’ll look for, listen for, and bring into your actions and decisions throughout the day.
“Every year for the last eight years, I’ve picked one word to be my lens. For 2025, my word is learning. I’ve already started a list of the people and ideas I want to learn from and when the new year starts, that word will shape my reality.”
Participants can keep their chosen word card in their pocket or on their desk as a tangible reminder of their “world.”
Adapting Choice of Worlds for Virtual Meetings
This activity also works beautifully as a virtual meeting icebreaker and you don’t even need cards to do it.
Here’s how to run it online:
- Ask everyone to think of one word that represents how they want to “see” the next hour or meeting.
- Have them type the word into the chat but don’t hit enter yet!
- On the count of three, everyone hits enter at once.
- You’ll get a burst of words flooding the chat, creating a collective visual of everyone’s chosen “lens.”
Depending on your time, you can invite people to briefly explain why they chose their word or just let the collective intention speak for itself.
This quick exercise transforms passive attendees into active contributors.
From Consumption to Contribution
Many meetings are designed for consumption where people sit, listen, and wait for their turn. That structure often pushes participants into the roles of critics or consumers rather than collaborators.
But when we design gatherings for contribution, we unlock energy, creativity, and shared ownership.
The Choice of Worlds exercise does exactly that. It turns a standard meeting into a moment of reflection, focus, and connection, something every great team building activity for work should do.
Try It with Your Team
For even more ways to create connection before content, explore our Connection Before Content Masterclass.
