The unicorn: the icebreaker that gives your team workshops a special twist

What is the “Unicorn” icebreaker all about?

An icebreaker is literally meant to break the ice. It aims to bring light relief and defuse embarrassing situations through a discussion or an activity. Icebreakers are particularly useful with new groups, where members don’t know one another. This type of activity is widespread in training sessions, but can be used in all sorts of situations. Regardless of the team, creating a relaxed atmosphere that favors creativity can be useful before starting a group work session. Icebreakers come in all shapes and sizes! Browse our Klaxoon template library and try out as many as you like.  

The “Unicorn” icebreaker was designed to create a relaxed atmosphere, immerse the team in a colorful, magical and fun environment, raise some laughs and get them into the right mood for what’s to come. 

The aim is for everyone to find out what their unicorn name would be in a fantasy world, determined by a combination of their initials and meaningful adjectives. (Well, why not?) It’s a fun moment when introductions can be made if necessary. It’s also a boost for the group’s creativity for the rest of the workshop in a light-hearted atmosphere conducive to communication between team members and teamwork. 

3 core reasons why you should use the “Unicorn” template

You might well wonder what is the point of having a unicorn name?....Well it can have its uses! Below are three cases where this activity could be useful for your workshops. 

• You’re about to pick the group’s creative brains in search of a new concept, a catchy tagline, for designing an innovative product, etc. Opening with the “Unicorn” template puts the group in the right frame of mind to think of imaginative and out-of-the-box ideas. With names like “Agile Mane”, “Cosmic Jewel” and “Fearless Rainbow”, you can’t fail to be creative!

• If the group members are not acquainted at all or only remotely, this activity creates a sense of togetherness and allows the group to get to know one another. 

• If the upcoming workshop covers a delicate subject or involves tedious tasks, this icebreaker adds a touch of light-heartedness that puts things into perspective. The “Unicorn” icebreaker proves that people can work hard and have fun at the same time, without it affecting the team’s output. It’s quite the opposite in fact: a team in good spirits will be more engaged and efficient.

How to use the “Unicorn” icebreaker as a team

The team joins the Board and opens the videoconferencing tool (built into the whiteboard) if some members are not on site. Using the correlation chart, members create their unicorn name, determined by the initials of their first and last names. The unicorn name combines a noun with an adjective, which lead to fantasy names, like “Gleaming Fur” or “Bright Flake”. The team post their unicorn names on the whiteboard in a new idea, placed in the dedicated area. The multiple combinations sometimes come up with unexpected results, getting everyone in the right mood. Members are asked to “like” their favorite names, by clicking on the heart symbol above the ideas they prefer. To wrap up the session, the unicorn name with the most likes is chosen as the team’s name.  

Are you curious to find out your unicorn name? Carry on from here!