Woman puzzled by fun icebreaker questions

Engaging Groups 28 Apr 26 0 Comments

Want to Cut Through The Small-Talk?

By Mark Collard
Experiential Trainer, Author & Speaker

Ask Magical Questions

the Lazy Facilitator Episode 23

Typical icebreakers make people cringe.

So how do you get a room full of strangers to actually open up without making everyone groan?

Priya Parker, best-selling author of The Art of Gathering, suggests the answer lies in what she calls a magical question. That is, a question that every person in the room is excited to answer and equally curious to hear everyone else’s response.

Now that’s a high bar. Most icebreaker questions don’t even come close.

So what makes a question magical?

Click play below to learn more…

What Makes a Question Magical?

Parker’s insight is this.

The best questions come directly from the context of the group you’re working with.

Here’s an example that would land well in most workplaces. What would you do with a full-paid year-long break from work? Or to be more specific, if I’m working with a group of dentists, I might ask, what’s the going rate for the tooth fairy these days? Every dentist has an answer, and every dentist wants to hear everyone else’s.

That’s the magic.

So before your next session, ask yourself, what question could only this group answer? That’s your starting point.

For more icebreaker activity ideas, click the links below.

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Original post April 2026, last updated April 2026.