RetroLift / Icebreaker questions / Work style questions

20 icebreaker questions about how you work

Questions about how people like to work, which also make everyday collaboration easier. They are a good fit for team kick-offs and working agreements.

Draw these live with your team →

The questions

What time of day do you do your best work?
What is one tool or shortcut that saves you time every week?
How do you prefer to get feedback: written, spoken, quick or detailed?
What kind of task puts you into a state of flow?
What is something you wish more people asked you about?
What is your favourite way to celebrate a finished piece of work?
What is a work habit you picked up from a former teammate?
How do you know when you need a break?
What is one meeting you would happily never attend again?
What part of your job would you explain to a ten-year-old first?
What is the best team you have been part of, and what made it great?
Are you a planner, an improviser, or somewhere in between?
What helps you focus when everything is noisy?
What is a mistake that taught you something useful?
What do you need from the team to do your best work this week?
What is one thing you would change about how we work, if you could?
How do you like to be recognised for good work?
What is a skill you could teach the rest of us in 15 minutes?
What does a really good working day look like for you?
What is the most useful question you ask when you start something new?

Facilitator tip

Write down the answers that surprise people. They often turn into useful team agreements.

Draw these live with your team →

Frequently asked questions

Can I use these work style questions for free?

Yes. Copy them, or use them in the free deck, with no account.

How do I use them in a meeting?

Draw one card and show it full screen, or open a live room where everyone answers on their phone before the reveal.