One of my favorite entrepreneurs, Mari Madden Luangrath (of Foiled Cupcakes in Chicago), pulled this on me. If you find yourself in a circle of people, and conversation has waned, give everyone one to two minutes to talk about what they’ve accomplished recently, with no judgement and tons of celebration. It gives you a better understanding of who that person is, what they do and what gets them excited.
In my experience, mints are great icebreakers. I always have some on hand, in case somebody asks for one. Or, try having one yourself while chatting in a group. Inevitably, someone will notice, become insecure of her breath, kick herself for not bringing any and ask you for one. Next, you’re chatting.