Icebreakers · Get-to-Know-You

Book Jacket

Encourages concise, creative self-summary.

IcebreakerRapportPersonal Sharing

Duration: 20 min
Participants: 1–5, 5–10, 10–20, 20–50, 50+
Energy: Low
Difficulty: Beginner
Materials: Minimal
Prep time: 5 minutes

2 min read · Delivery: Offline

Overview

Purpose. Encourages concise, creative self-summary.

When to use. In the first 15 minutes of a session, once names are known and the group is settling in.

Best for. Any group size, in person.

Facilitator preparation

Gather: paper and pens.
Have a quick example blurb ready to share. See Trainer's Reference below.

Room setup. Arrange seating so everyone can see and hear each other clearly.

Virtual setup. Run this over video call; have participants type their blurb in chat before reading it aloud.

Hybrid setup. Give remote participants the same chat-based option while in-room participants write on paper.

Materials. Paper, pens

How to Conduct

Give each participant paper and a pen.
Explain the format: everyone will write a short, 50-word “About the Author” blurb about themselves, written as if it would appear on the jacket of a book they wrote.
Give participants 5–8 minutes to write their blurb.
Go around the group, with each person reading their blurb aloud.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE GROUP

Expect a little shyness in the first 30 seconds, followed by a quick warm-up once one or two people go first.

Trainer's Reference: modeling the tone

If the format feels unfamiliar, share a quick example first: “Jane spent a decade chasing deadlines in journalism before discovering a love of trail running. When she's not untangling a good story, she's probably lost on a mountain somewhere.” The tone is warm and a little playful, more like a book jacket than a resume.