Energiser idea: 3 things

'3 things' is a simple remote-friendly energiser that I found here. It's quick and simple. To run it you need to all be on video cam so it is perfect for a remote-only meeting.

The play

Everyone has their camera on.

Tell everyone to observe each other's images closely.

Then tell everyone to turn off their camera for a minute and changes 3 visible things from their image (e.g. move a plant pot, take off your glasses).

Then tell people to put their cameras back on and call out what's changed.

My impressions

I ran this for the first time this week to a good reaction - it generated laughs and broke the ice at the beginning of the meeting. It's particularly good as it doesn't feel awkward to do over video call. In fact, since it's tailored to work only on video call it feels more natural than other energisers / icebreakers where physical presence is important to their success. You really need good visibility of each other's webcam so I wouldn't do this in a hybrid setting. It's possible to replicate it if everyone is in person but you lose the ability to manipulate your background.

Verdict

Use it when:

• Everyone is remote
• You need something simple, quick and easy to remember
• There are no sight accessibility constraints

Don't use it when:

• There is a hybrid setting
• You are in person
• There are sight accessibility constraints