How to Deal With Those Awkward Conversations at Conferences

Well, it’s official – conference season is upon us. And we all know that with each conference comes countless opportunities to network and meet new people within the industry. So I want to share a tip to make those introductions a little bit easier and give you a way to begin breaking the ice when meeting someone for the first time.

If you haven’t yet heard of the game “Two Truths and a Lie,” your conference season is about to take a turn for the unique. This game is a great way to begin getting to know someone quickly and without those awkward first-encounter-type conversations that we sometimes run into in a conference setting. Now, I know you may be thinking, “oh great, another icebreaker,” but take it from a guy that has participated in many icebreakers over the years: this game is different. It’s a quick and entertaining way to foster genuine conversations with fellow conference-goers.

So here’s how it works – you choose two truths about yourself and one lie. When it’s your turn, you say all three “facts” and the other person guesses which statement is the lie.

It sounds simple enough, right? Well, not always! There have been a few times that I have found myself completely stumped, but it is still fun to guess and it can bring great insight into who the person is and what they enjoy doing both at work and during their free time. And trust me, the earlier you get to know someone, the more genuine your working relationship with that person will be.

I’m not saying that knowing someone didn't actually get their boating license in college will create the optimal working relationship, but it will get you started in a unique way that can foster creativity and future conversations with that person.

So… let’s see if you can guess my lie:

1. I play guitar and I love to sing.
2. My first job was a caddie.
3. Among other things, my father was a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy.

Guess away!