Use an icebreaker. Don’t act like an FBI agent. Questions like What do you do?, Are you married?, Do you have children?, and Where are you from? lead to dead-end conversations. A good icebreaker not only provides a way to meet new people, but also helps jump-start conversations. For example, using an icebreaker such as “Tell me about your organization” is unique, yet does not pin someone down into labeling themselves.
