Trust Fall…Into the Gator Pit
If they catch you, they care. If they don’t, you know where you stand. If you can stand.
Description:
At long last, a professional development tool that confronts dysfunction head-on with nothing but gravity, split-second judgment, and live alligators who hunger for both flesh and closure.
Each participant ascends a narrow, swaying platform above the Live Accountability Zone™, where a team of coworkers forms a makeshift “catch crew” — supposedly there to prevent your fall into the gator pit. But let’s be honest: this is less about safety and more about reckoning.
You stand tall. You close your eyes. You whisper, “I trust you.”
And then you fall — backward, blindly, into the moral center of your department.
Will they catch you?
Or will Deb from HR finally settle the score from that time you “forgot” to mute during her Q2 webinar?
Why Managers Love It:
Forces teams to examine trust dynamics with zero PowerPoint
Surfaces interpersonal resentment without needing mediation
Helps identify top performers, and also those who mysteriously “just slipped”
Offers a convenient excuse to remove Chad, legally
Participant Outcomes May Include:
Increased self-awareness
Improved reaction times
The kind of vulnerability that leaves a mark — sometimes literally
A sudden, deep appreciation for worker’s comp
Realistic Expectations:
Some falls are caught. Some are slowed.
Some are simply watched — silently, coldly, by your peers and Carl, the senior gator who’s been waiting for this moment since the last potluck.
Team-Building Benefits:
Strengthens group bonds through adrenaline and shared secrets
Reveals which coworkers are actually just waiting for a chance to drop you
Reduces future conflict by thinning the herd
⚠️ WARNING: Participants most likely to be dropped include:
People who reply-all with “Thanks!”
Coworkers who speak in inspirational quotes
Anyone who refers to the group as “work fam”
Chad (every office has one, and he knows what he did)
Meet the Gators
-
Carl
Carl is 14 years old, born in a culvert near Tallahassee, and transferred to Winona after biting an intern in Orlando (emotionally). He enjoys sunning himself, classic rock and motivational speeches shouted from ledges. Known for blinking slowly at bad decisions and once ate a stress ball in a performance review. His favorite song is “Welcome to the Jungle.”
-
Wanda
Wanda, 13, was born in Gainesville and trained in passive-aggressive lunges. She channels the rage of overlooked PTO requests and stolen lunches. Known to inch closer when someone mentions “team bonding.” Has never lost a staring contest or a grudge match. Dislikes eye contact. Once bit a kayak in half. Emotionally complex. Favorite snack is hesitation.
-
Clarence
Clarence is 19 and emerged from a misty golf course pond already holding a grudge. He’s known to silently float just beneath the surface of the retreat pond for hours, watching, calculating, and absolutely judging. He has been known to track people across the wetlands based solely on the tone of their laughter and unexplainable hates people who call themselves “fun.”
-
Doug
At 32, Doug is the oldest of the bunch and somehow the most terrifying. He emerges only when the retreat vibe becomes “too teamy.” His expression never changes, but participants report experiencing spontaneous introspection, gastrointestinal discomfort, and the urge to stop whatever it is they’re doing. Doug doesn’t want to be here. Neither do you, once he shows up.
Tripadvisor Reviews
-
⭐️⭐️ “Would have given more stars if Carl hadn’t winked at me as I fell.”
Mike, Duluth
-
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Landed in the gator pit and sprained my wrist, but I also learned I can’t trust Karen. Enlightening.”
Brittany, St. Paul
-
⭐️☆☆☆☆ “I thought this was metaphorical. It’s not. I screamed ‘teamwork’ and fell on Clarence. I have regrets.”
Paul, Sioux Falls