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Beyond Trust Falls
The Definitive Guide to Building Teams That Click
David Goldstein (Author)
9781394383184, Wiley
Hardback, published 15 June 2026
288 pages
22.9 x 15.8 x 3 cm, 0.476 kg
The pioneering leader in corporate team building reveals the science and strategy behind why play drives real business results Beyond Trust Falls is the first comprehensive guide to building real team connection through strategic, intentional play. Within these pages, David Goldstein—founder and CEO of TeamBonding—draws on 35+ years of designing transformative experiences for companies like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft to deliver a field-tested playbook that goes far beyond trust falls and forced fun. Backed by neuroscience and built from thousands of real-world events reaching nearly 100,000 participants annually, his approach shows exactly how play triggers the brain chemistry that unlocks creativity, deepens trust, and drives measurable performance gains. Inside, you'll discover: Featuring insights from Hall of Fame facilitators, leadership coaches, and seasoned team building professionals, Beyond Trust Falls is equal parts science, story, and strategy.
Surrounded by Slack channels, Zoom calls, shared docs, and project dashboards, your team is more connected than ever. Yet, something is still clearly broken. Engagement keeps sinking. Turnover keeps climbing. People show up, log in, and quietly check out. The problem, it turns out, isn't technology or policy. It's disconnection. And the fix is older than civilization itself.
Introduction ix Part I The Why Behind the Work 1 Part II The Art of Designing Team Moments 61 Part III The Activities That Move Teams 93 Part IV Making It Stick 193 Conclusion: The Future of Teams Is Human 225
Chapter 1 The Power of Play 5
Chapter 2 The Science of Connection 25
Chapter 3 From Engagement to Impact 47
Chapter 4 Start Smart Before the Event 65
Chapter 5 Designing with Intention 77
Chapter 6 Energizers That Don't Make You Cringe 97
Chapter 7 Games That Grow Teams 115
Chapter 8 Giving Back Through Purpose-Driven Play 141
Chapter 9 DIY Team Bonding—Anywhere, Anytime 157
Chapter 10 The Debrief Is Everything 197
Chapter 11 From One-Off to Ongoing 213
Appendix: Employee Recognition Survey 241
Notes 255
Acknowledgments 257
About the Author 259
Index 261
Subject Areas: Business & management [KJ]
