When I first started running workshops over 20 years ago, I dreaded those first 10 minutes.
I’d dive in, eager to get going, but be met with blank stares. People sat stiff, guarded, and unsure, like they were saving their real selves for later.
And I knew that we couldn’t have meaningful discussions until we broke through those walls.
So I tried the “fun” icebreakers. You know the ones.
Cringe. More awkward than engaging.
Everything changed when I stopped trying to force people to open up and instead gave them the right spark to start sharing.
That’s how the Connection Cards were born - a deck of 60 thought-provoking question cards designed to unlock real stories, shared laughter, and moments of “me too.”
Now, no matter the group - big or small, in-person or online - one card pull shifts the whole vibe.
Hesitation turns to curiosity. Curiosity turns to conversation.
And just like that, the energy lifts, buzzing with connection, and primed for the work ahead.