3 Ways to Win Over Reluctant Participants
How to Get Eye-Rollers and Clock-Watchers to Engage Let’s be honest: not everyone walks into a room excited to participate. Whether it’s an offsite, a staff meeting, or a training session, there’s always at least one person with arms crossed, eyes glued to their phone, or wondering when they can sneak out. After working with […]
2 Team-Building Games for Adults
How to Energize Your Group With Novel Team Building Games Adults crave novelty and action, especially in workplace settings where routine tends to dominate. If you’re planning team building activities for adults, the goal isn’t just fun, it’s novelty, movement, and meaningful connection. Below, I’m sharing two of my favorite team building games for work […]
5 Ingredients to Lead Effective Meetings
Over the last decade, I’ve led meetings for about 100,000+ people. And through all that experience—I’ve paid the “anxiety tax” that comes with leading groups—I’ve landed on a five-step process that cuts my prep time in half and reduces stress by 30%. Whether you’re hosting virtual meetings, hybrid team calls, or in-person events, this framework […]
Clever Ideas for Team Building
If you’re on the hunt for a clever team building activity that’s fun, quick to implement, and full of hidden depth—you’re in for a treat. In this post, I’m going to unpack one of the smartest team building exercises for adults I’ve ever experienced. You can use it right after reading this. Even better? You […]
How to Make Group Engagement Easy
What follows is a raw, no-edit, low-cut breakdown of four simple yet powerful methods to make group engagement feel easy and natural. I’m walking you through these like we’re chatting one-on-one, starting with a story that recently inspired me. 1. Go on a Listening Tour In Community by Peter Block, there’s a story about a […]
Context Hooks: 5 Compelling Ways to Start a Meeting
If you’re responsible for hosting meetings or leading any kind of group gathering, one of your main jobs is to help people convert attendance into attention. Because let’s be honest—people don’t automatically show up engaged. In this post, I’m going to share five practical context hooks—simple, intentional ways to kick off a meeting or session […]
Icebreakers for Big Groups
When you’re hosting a large group—whether it’s a three-day summit, a conference, or any big event—you need an icebreaker that isn’t just a 10-minute burst of awkward energy. You need something sustainable. Something that builds real connections over time. Let’s break down one of my favorite icebreakers for big groups—an activity that acts like software […]
Best Way To Start A Meeting Or Event | 5 Methods
Imagine walking into a meeting or event and being handed a pair of magical glasses. These glasses would highlight the exact right people for you to talk to and display the perfect conversation starter above their heads. That would be the ultimate way to kick off a gathering, right? Well, those glasses don’t exist… yet. […]
Icebreakers for Small Groups: 3 Meaningful Exercises for Connection
When planning icebreakers for small groups, it’s important to consider their purpose and the group dynamics. Whether you’re working with an established team or a newly forming one, icebreakers should be intentional, engaging, and directly connected to why you’re gathering. Instead of viewing them as typical “icebreakers,” let’s reframe them as moments of connection before […]
Creative AI Group Activity / Closing
You think you’re just watching a YouTube video, but surprise—you’re being teleported into the closing session of the Connector Summit, a virtual event packed with powerful moments of connection. This session wasn’t about teaching a clever closing exercise—it was about living it, feeling it, and celebrating the collective wisdom of everyone present. In this blog, […]
