# could use some help coming up with fun, offbeat discussion-topics for a weekly office staff-meeting **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 3, 2014, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243 "2014-07-03T02:11:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/21 "2014-07-06T03:09:06Z")
Darth Maul vs Da Bloods ---
**Author:** ![Absinthe\_Anecdote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@Absinthe\_Anecdote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absinthe_Anecdote)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/22 "2014-07-06T12:23:12Z")
The only way that “Celebrity Crush” thing makes any sense is if you work for Harvey Levin over at TMZ. Otherwise, WTF? ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/23 "2014-07-06T14:49:21Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > **There is nothing more morale-destroying than enforced “fun.”** > > OTOH there’s nothing quite so team building as the hours of mockery such events produce. So if you’re going for that “make them hate us so they work together” approach…Knock yourself out with the forced faux amusement. Emphasis mine. The business world needs to be scoured of this nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/24 "2014-07-06T15:01:53Z")
The reason I think I would hate doing something like this is because my coworkers and I are all over the place in terms of interests and personality. Take the celebrity crush question. Even if we were all good sports about it, it has more potential for eyerolls than fun. I work with guys who are in their 50s and 60s. I really don’t want to know that they get a boner over a girl who’s young enough to be their daughter. And I can see one coworker intentionally naming a dude that none of us have ever heard of before, just so she can roll our eyes and sigh when we ask who he is. An exercise like this would make me dislike my coworkers even more than I already do. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/25 "2014-07-06T15:59:48Z")
We used to do “Desert Island \_\_\_\_” (fill in the blank with any theme - i.e. Desert Island sandwich, weather, cartoon character, comedy villain, etc - or weird stuff like "Desert Island vowel, consonant, month, etc) Based on the Desert Island Discs concept - it’s really just another way of asking 'What’s your favourite \_\_\_\_\_?" or “What’s the best \_\_\_\_\_?”, or “If you had to choose just one kind of \_\_\_\_, what would it be?” For example, “Desert Island superpower?” - is it invisibility, or super strength, or flight? And is flight any good without invulnerability? - usually, these things kick off a debate, but it doesn’t need to reach a resolution or consensus, because everybody gets to state their final choice. We kept this up every weekday for a whole year. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/26 "2014-07-06T17:14:03Z")
> [@MoonMoon](#): > > Emphasis mine. The business world needs to be scoured of this nonsense. Aside from it just being inherently terrible to waste the time of people who will be punished with poor evaluations if work is not completed (which it is) if people have a pattern of non participation, it is likely they perceive that participation will harm them; whatever they say – no matter how light hearted – will be used against them at a future time by vindictive management. You can’t legislate a good working environment with a “the beatings will continue until morale improves” approach. Positive atmosphere of mutual respect is not created by forcing your staff into a management-demanded bubbly personality mold. That’s actually the opposite of a respectful workplace. I’m bubbly as fuck and I am sick of that shit. Seriously, OP, don’t be a part of the poison. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/27 "2014-07-06T17:19:58Z")
Is there something wrong with letting people go once the meeting is over? Because everybody hates meetings. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/28 "2014-07-06T18:10:47Z")
Two words: Post Office ---
**Author:** ![Inna\_Minnit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Inna\_Minnit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inna_Minnit)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/29 "2014-07-06T19:02:08Z")
As a mandatory meeting attender, please, for the love of Bob… Don’t do this. Want to improve morale? Make meetings shorter, more concise and informational. Start and end on time. Let me get back to what you pay me for. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/30 "2014-07-06T19:20:05Z")
If you simply MUST end the meeting on a lighter note, find some short, funny clips on YouTube and watch them. I mean, who doesn’t like a talking dog? Some topics: “Name a sport, and change it up to make it more interesting. For instance, I’d make the NASCAR track a figure 8.” “If you could pick anywhere in the world to live, where would that be?” “What invention would you un-invent if you could?” “What would you rather be able to do really well: Sing, dance, or converse?” ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/31 "2014-07-06T19:40:31Z")
> [@Win\_Place\_Show](#): > > -SNIP- > > Any ideas come to mind as far as goofy, offbeat topics that people (who normally wouldn’t participate in a team-meeting) might not mind giving a 2-3 minute dissertation on? > > -SNIP- Yes. There ARE none. When the meeting is over, I want to leave and get back to my desk. Team meetings are fine - as long as something is being accomplished. When that stops, the meeting needs to end. Sorry, but I agree with a lot of previous posters - this sort of stuff in meetings is AWFUL. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/32 "2014-07-06T19:56:21Z")
Don’t do it. It’s unprofessional, uncomfortable if/when people have no clue what you’re talking about (which is probably likely depending on the group), and it causes more problems than it solves. If people want to bond socially, they’ll do it on their own. They don’t need to be forced to by management. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2014, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/33 "2014-07-06T21:23:40Z")
I wonder if this might be one of those workplace culture things that differs internationally. Where I live, teams typically have a social element to them - and this sort of thing isn’t out of place at all. ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/34 "2014-07-07T05:24:59Z")
Assuming that making this thing stop isn’t within your power, I think you are doing the right thing by being a good sport about it. Try googling 101 blog post topics (or “50 topics” or “best topics” etc). That should give you a head start. For example a quick google [got me a page](http://fatmumslim.com.au/sweet-ideas-50-things-to-blog-about/) that starts out “1. That thing that happened in high school that pretty much changed your life forever 2. The worst movie you ever did see, and why 3. Your favourite recipe, even if you’re the worst cook in the world. Sometimes there’s an art to making the best vegemite toast you could ever eat 4. The day you left home 5. That one time you told a huge lie and kinda got away with it {or perhaps you didn’t and that would make an even better blog post! Cringe}” Some potential there. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/35 "2014-07-07T06:01:03Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Topic: Our company staffmembers. Who would you: > > 1. Marry > 2. Sleep with > 3. Kill > > and why. Hilarity will ensue. I vote for this one. Failing that, just end the meeting. If you want to end on a light note devise something else that doesn’t put someone on the spot having to do an impromptu 2-3 minute spiel on an irrelevant topic for the general amusement (bemusement?) of co workers. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/36 "2014-07-07T06:32:12Z")
Two words: erotic dice. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/37 "2014-07-07T09:23:21Z")
Hate the idea - I don’t want to share anything of that nature at all, crush, kill, advice - none of it. If you totally must - why not just a sports pool of some sort - who’s going to win the big game? What day is it going to rain / not rain? Keep a running tally, with an extra day of vacation to the quarterly winner ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/38 "2014-07-08T01:28:34Z")
> [@Win\_Place\_Show](#): > > Any ideas come to mind as far as goofy, offbeat topics that people (who normally wouldn’t participate in a team-meeting) might not mind giving a 2-3 minute dissertation on? I’d sincerely like to help, but all the goofy, offbeat topics we used to talk about in team meetings ended up generating nasty notes from HR. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/39 "2014-07-08T03:22:21Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I wonder if this might be one of those workplace culture things that differs internationally. Where I live, teams typically have a social element to them - and this sort of thing isn’t out of place at all. It’s a Dope thing. I’ve never seen a group of people who hate this kind of thing more than Dopers. I think it’s all the introverts. ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243/40 "2014-07-08T14:31:15Z")
> [@Brynda](#): > > It’s a Dope thing. I’ve never seen a group of people who hate this kind of thing more than Dopers. I think it’s all the introverts. I disagree. I’m fairly extroverted which is why, once I am done with the business of a meeting, I’d prefer to return to my office so that I can get my work done faster, giving me more free time to socialize with my friends - not co-workers w/ whom I am friendly. And, for the record, I do have friends at work, but we tend to chat in the kitchen, over Office Communicator, at after-work happy hours, etc. I think it is the “forced interaction” that most Dopers find objectionable. Let me choose how I spend my time at work, whenever possible, instead of keeping me hostage in a conference room so I can hear about Lisa’s celebrity crush. It might come up when we are having casual interaction, but if I have documents I need to draft or calls I need to return, I really don’t care if she is Team Aniston or Team Jolie. If I want to know about it later, I won’t hesitate to ask, but not when I have numerous projects stacking up on my desk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-use-some-help-coming-up-with-fun-offbeat-discussion-topics-for-a-weekly-office-staff-meeting/692243.md?page=3)