Ice breaker to talk about respect

Here are a few icebreaker ideas to get a conversation started about respect:

  1. The Respect Chain: Have each person stand up and share a time when someone showed them respect. It could be a teacher, a family member, or a friend. Then, have them pass a small object (like a pen or a small toy) to the person on their right, and have that person share a time when they showed respect to someone else. Continue around the circle until everyone has shared.
  2. Respectful Moments: Ask each person to share a time when they felt respected or disrespected. It could be a big or small moment, and it could be from their personal or professional life. Encourage everyone to listen actively and respond with empathy.
  3. The Golden Rule: Write down the Golden Rule ("Treat others the way you want to be treated") on a whiteboard or sticky note. Ask each person to share a time when they followed the Golden Rule, and how it made them feel. Then, ask them to share a time when they didn't follow the Golden Rule, and how it made them feel.
  4. Respectful Habits: Ask each person to share a respectful habit they have, such as saying "please" and "thank you" or holding the door open for someone. Then, ask them to share a respectful habit they'd like to develop or improve.
  5. Respect in Action: Divide the group into small teams and give each team a scenario card with a respectful or disrespectful situation (e.g. a colleague not following through on a commitment, a friend not listening to your opinion). Ask each team to discuss how they would handle the situation with respect, and then share their ideas with the larger group.

Remember to keep the conversation light and respectful, and to encourage active listening and empathy. The goal is to start a conversation, not to criticize or judge others.