I’m often jealous of the amazing shoe collection Allison has. For every adorable outfit, she has a matching pair of shoes to go with it. I, on the other hand, tend to lean towards the same pair of shoes, as long as they match, regardless of my outfit. Every morning I stare into my closet at my racks of shoes, and think maybe today I’ll venture out. Then I grab the same black flats…
Does that make me a boring person? A fun one? A laid back one? We’ve decided to put together a fun ice-breaker for your team to see what your shoes say about you! This icebreaker is great for all employees, new and old, and a fun little way to get to know eachother. After all don’t you want to know who your sole mate is?
Sole Mate Search
Goal: Introductions and icebreaker.
Number of people: 6-30.
Time: 10 – 20 minutes (depending on group size)
Props: Flip chart or erasable board and marker.
Step-by-Step:
1. Ask everyone to stand up and move to an open space in the room where it’s large enough to make a circle.
2. Tell the group they now have the one chance in a lifetime to find their Sole Mates! Write “Sole Mate” on the flip chart or board. Ask if they notice anything unusual about the way it’s spelled. Ask them to guess what this means.
3. Tell them that you want them to look around the circle and find a pair of shoes that either:
a. Are similar to theirs, or
b. They’d like to own
4. Ask them to walk to the person wearing those shoes and then, together, find a quiet corner somewhere in the room to talk.
5. Write them a list (on your flipchart or board) of facts to find out about their Sole Mates, such as (select only three from below, to keep it brief):
a. Name
b. Nickname
c. Job title
d. Job they had before this one
e. What do you like most/dislike most about your work?
f. What’s your hobby?
6. Give them a total of 5 minutes to interview each other, and ask them to be ready to reveal all about their Sole Mate when time is up.
7. Have Sole Mates introduce each other to the team, then return to their seats.
8. Variation: Later in the day, if you want to do an exercise using four people per group, you can ask them all to stand with their Sole Mates again. Ask each pair to team up with another Sole Mate pair based on (select one):
a. These four pairs of shoes would make a complete wardrobe
b. These four pairs of shoes could be best friends
c. These four pairs of shoes were bought at about the same time
Don’t hold your tongue! Share below your sole mate stories and other fun ice-breakers below!
Jenny became a Baudvillian in 2013 and started out as a member of our sales team. She seemed to have a creative knack for Marketing and joined the team as Baudville’s Web Marketing Coordinator. She loves our products and probably owns every piece of drinkware we have to offer! Equipped with great knowledge of our customers and products, she’s excited to help make your email and web experience even better!
