E82: No More Forced Fun: Rethinking Team Building

E82: No More Forced Fun: Rethinking Team Building

From Getting To Work by NCI Works

August 7, 2025 · 30 min

About this episode

Dr. Brian Hite discusses the drawbacks of forced fun in team building and offers alternative strategies for fostering genuine connections among team members.

What do stunt work and organizational leadership have in common? In this conversation, Dr. Brian Hite- stuntman, and performance expert-returns to the program to share why "forced fun" team activities often backfire and what leaders can do instead to build genuine connection. Drawing on his unique career path and insights from psychology, he explains how to foster motivation, trust, and psychological safety, and why respecting people's time and differences matters more than any morale event. Listeners will discover practical ways to create stronger, more cohesive teams without the awkward icebreakers or mandatory bonding games.

People in this episode

Guest: Dr. Brian Hite

Topics covered

  • team building
  • organizational leadership
  • psychological safety
  • motivation
  • trust
  • genuine connection

Keywords

  • team activities
  • forced fun
  • leadership
  • psychology
  • cohesive teams
  • motivation
  • trust

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