WTF Wednesday.

Theme this week: Why That’s Funny

Let me take you back to one of the most unintentionally ridiculous “team-building” experiences of my career — and trust me, that’s saying something.

Picture this:

A group of women— mostly in their late 50s, 60s, and early 70s —standing in 99-degree heat.

We’re all in workout clothes. We’re all sweating. And we’ve all just been informed that today’s “bonding experience” will be…

👉 An outdoor obstacle course.

Yes. An actual obstacle course. Like summer camp. But with middle-aged women.

This was not my idea, in case that needs to be said.

The moment the first woman stepped onto the course, physics took over. One person stumbled. Another wobbled. And then — like the world’s slowest, most geriatric domino chain — they all fell on top of each other.

Every. Single. One.

Except me. (I was the lone survivor standing there in horror, clutching my water bottle like it was a lifeline.)

And who was at the bottom of this human Jenga tower?

👉 The leader who planned the whole thing. Like the bottom piece of bread in the worst sandwich ever.

You cannot make this stuff up.

It was chaos. It was comedy. It was heatstroke waiting to happen.

And leadership genuinely thought this was the best way to build team build.

But, hey - at least we went to a Mexican restaurant after assisting one of our 70+ year old, asthmatic teammates up the hill and back to the parking lot, assessing for heatstroke along the way......

Why That’s Funny (and a little tragic)

Leaders sometimes confuse shared suffering with team building.

Leaders often feel uncomfortable with the true elements of great team building - authenticity, empathy, and vulnerability - so they rely on structured events and activities to shield themselves from what they fear.

Obstacle courses. Goat yoga. Planting trees on a 3pm Teams call (yes, that happened too).

Forced fun that usually results in:

• fake smiling

• mild resentment

• pulled hamstrings

• and at least one person saying “Why are we doing this?”

  
  

People don’t bond with goats perched on their backs. People bond because they feel safe together.

Psychological safety > physical obstacles. Every. Time.

The Takeaway

If you want to strengthen a team:

✔️ Ask what they actually need✔️ Build trust through communication, not choreography✔️ Model real leadership behaviors✔️ Don’t confuse gimmicks with culture✔️ And please… for the love of your HR premiums…

Do not put your staff on a jungle gym in 99-degree heat.

~ Steph