#16 JooBee's newsletter

TL;DR

⌛ Icebreakers are a waste of time?

😴 Outsourcing offsite purpose is lazy management

💥 Start-up career hacks with Alicia Henríquez, Head of People (exclusive content)

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Icebreakers are a waste of time?

When asked this question, I often respond with a question of my own, “What’s your objective?” Most of the time, I'm met with a generic answer that goes something like this: “Since we're all meeting face to face, we just want to fill some time with fun social activity and not just serious meetings.”

If icebreakers are fillers for you, you’re wasting your time

It is no wonder that employees refer to these activities as corporate BS and start-up clichés. If you don’t know specifically what you're trying to achieve, neither will your people. The so-called icebreaker activity will stand out like a sore thumb of 'forced fun' during an offsite - a checkbox, if you will, for management who feel obliged to engage in quirky activities that completely lack purpose.

I am not opposed to icebreakers, quite the opposite. However, let’s give some thought to the ‘why’ behind these things. Do everyone a favour and design them with intention that contributes to the larger picture. 

If icebreakers are a strategic activity, you deliver impact

For me, “filler activities” simply don’t exist. We all carve out time from our packed schedules and away from our lives and loved ones to be at an offsite. Every activity must serve a purpose and contribute to achieving the event's objectives. That's why I view icebreakers as more than just fun diversions - they’re components of the overall strategy for the offsite. 

So, don’t waste the opportunity. Here are 2 ways to ensure your icebreakers are strategic:

🔗 Tie into the offsite objective - Think of icebreakers as warming up before a big game - the offsite meeting. Make sure your icebreaker matches what you're focusing on. For example, if it's a retrospective of the last quarter, create an icebreaker where everyone learns a simple feedback framework. Then, they can share positive feedback with the person next to them, highlighting how that person has made a positive impact on them. This icebreaker starts the day with positive energy while giving them a useful tool for constructive discussions during the retro session later on.

🪴 Tie into current team needs - Icebreakers also present an opportunity to address current challenges or needs within the team. For instance, if your team has recently expanded rapidly and struggles with different personalities, why not create an icebreaker that explores everyone’s communication styles by discovering each other's personality colours and what they mean. Or, if your company just rolled out new values, try an activity where participants in breakout teams draw (instead of write) how they will embody those values during the offsite.

So, when it comes to icebreakers, it's not about just checking a generic ‘social fun’ box or treating them like a filler activity. Make your icebreakers strategic by tying them into the offsite objectives and addressing current team needs.

Outsourcing offsite purpose is lazy management

Many managers I had in the past delegated offsite planning to their teams. I consider that a mistake. Why? Because of how they were mashed together, these offsites often resembled what I call '🧟Frankenstein offsites' - disjointed experiences lacking cohesion, flow, or a clear connection between agenda items, resulting in ambiguity regarding purpose and outcomes. Let’s call it what it is - a waste of time. 

I remember thinking, “When I lead a function, I will NEVER do it like this.” Everyone sets aside time from their busy schedules to join, so it's vital that these gatherings are truly valuable.

The manager’s role is to set the direction (and yes, that includes offsites)

As a manager, I'm accountable for what the team needs to deliver and what the team needs to succeed - and these 2 areas are always covered during offsites, tailored to the current business context and the team dynamics. 

For instance, at the beginning of the year, offsites might emphasise setting goals and strategies for the year ahead, and fostering excitement among the team. If we've recently secured funding, offsites may focus on preparing for growth and helping the team adapt to anticipated changes. Conversely, in the aftermath of redundancies, offsite may focus on reprioritising work and providing support for remaining team members and addressing their concerns. 

Hence, it's the manager's responsibility to set the direction of the offsite and ensure that business and team priorities are effectively addressed. Direction-setting can’t be delegated to various team members. 

With clear direction, engage the team to achieve the outcome

Once the direction is clear and set, tasks are things that can be delegated. I find that the most successful offsites are those co-owned by team members. Delegating tasks to team members with a clear objective and outcome in mind increases engagement and ownership. Also, it presents valuable learning opportunities for them to grow their skills in designing workshops, facilitating group discussions, or delivering presentations - all while working toward a shared outcome.

Consider these 3 things to optimise your offsite experience 

When we gather for offsite meetings, every moment counts. Here are 3 simple things I do to make sure we get the most out of our time together.

1️⃣ Utilise pre-work tasks to maximise in-person discussion time

Any tasks that involve one-way communication or individual work, can be done beforehand. For instance, reviewing last quarter’s results or listening to next quarter’s goals. This ensures that when the team is together, the focus is on valuable discussions and interactions about the content, rather than passive activities that could be done as pre-work.

2️⃣ Use icebreaker activities to reinforce the offsite's objectives

For one of my team’s offsites, our objective was to review performance over the past 6 months and plan for the rest of the year. However, in the last quarter, half of my team - who were new - had shown signs of being uncomfortable making mistakes. To address this, we kicked off with "Edison Stories," celebrating instances where we encountered failure, swiftly learned from it, and implemented solutions - emphasising our team's belief in "fail fast, learn fast, and fix fast".

This brief icebreaker normalised the concept that failure is intrinsic to growth and prepared us for the remainder of the offsite. It instilled confidence in the team to set ambitious goals, prioritising speed over perfection. Icebreakers can establish the mindset needed to achieve the objectives of your offsite.

3️⃣ Leverage opportunities for cross-collaboration with other functions

During one HR offsite, our goal was to prioritise the roadmap for the next quarter. I invited the Head of Product Delivery to run our HR prioritisation session. This not only helped us finalise our priorities but also provided an opportunity to learn Agile methodology. Additionally, it strengthened our relationships with another department and provided valuable insights into how Product and Tech squads prioritise, thereby enhancing our understanding of the business.

In another offsite, we had a 4-day company gathering, with one day dedicated to functional breakouts. Rather than remaining isolated within our respective functions, my HR team collaborated with the Finance and Legal teams for our icebreakers. At the time, over 50% of the members in those functions were new. By partnering for icebreakers, we accelerated our working relationship, particularly since Finance and Legal are lateral teams with whom we frequently collaborate. This collaboration turned out to be incredibly valuable and strengthened our teamwork when we got back to the office.

Overall, effective offsite planning requires proactive management involvement, clear objectives, and thoughtful execution. By taking ownership of the offsite's direction, engaging team members in the planning process, and optimising the experience with pre-work tasks, icebreaker activities, and cross-functional collaboration, managers can ensure that offsites are not only productive but also valuable and engaging for all participants.

Past success does not guarantee current success

The mistake I made

I transitioned into start-ups after beginning my career as a founding teacher at a charter school. While we were revolutionising the American educational system, success required standardisation and consistency. However, when I moved into the start-up world, I found that my strong reliance on best practices and frameworks hindered my ability to adapt to the unique situations and fluidity essential for start-up success.

The one thing I wish I knew to avoid that mistake

While working for an innovative restaurant group, our chefs were encouraged to "kill their darlings” on their menus. In start-ups, the ability to pivot and reassess is vital, even if it’s difficult. I learned to challenge the status quo and investigate the root causes of our obstacles. This taught me that past success, or even what worked for other successful companies, might not be suitable for our specific context.

One tip to hack your career in start-ups

Embrace the mantra of "Let it go" and foster curiosity. The start-up world thrives on innovation, which often means leaving behind what you know and exploring uncharted territory. Ask "why" and dig into the root of the problem you're trying to solve. Align your actions with the start-up's present needs and future objectives, rather than relying on what worked elsewhere or in the past. This mindset not only facilitates personal development but also aligns your career path with the dynamic nature of start-ups. By remaining adaptable and open to learning, you position yourself as a valuable asset capable of navigating the uncertainties and opportunities that characterise the start-up journey.

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