Drive: The Surpising Truth about what Motivates us
When it comes to motivation, there’s a gap between what science knows and what business does. Our current business operating system– which is built around external, carrot-and-stick motivators–doesn’t work and often does harm. We need an upgrade. And the science shows the way. This new approach has three essential elements: (1) Autonomy –the desire to direct our own lives; (2) Mastery –the urge to make progress and get better at something that matters; and (3) Purpose –the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves. (Pink 2011)
For dealing with boring tasks:
- Offer a rationale for why the task is necessary. A job that’s not inherently interesting can become more meaningful, and therefore more engaging, if it’s part of a larger purpose. Explain why this poster is so important and why sending it out now is critical to your organization’s mission.
- Acknowledge that the task is boring. This is an act of empathy, of course. And the acknowledgment will help people understand why this is the rare instance when “if-then” rewards are part of how your organization operates.
- Allow people to complete the task their own way. Think autonomy, not control. State the outcome you need. But instead of specifying precisely the way to reach it–how each poster must be rolled and how each mailing label must be affixed–give them freedom over how they do the job. (Pink 2011, Chapter 2A)
Any extrinsic reward shoudl be unexpected and offered only after the task is complete. (Pink 2011, Chapter 2A)
Consider nontangible rewards. Praise and positive feedback are much less corrosive than cash and trophies.
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Provide useful information … give people meaningful information about their work. The more feedback focuses on specifics (“great use of color”)– and the more the praise is about effort and strategy rather than about achieving a particular outcomue – the more effective it can be. (Pink 2011, Chapter 2A)
Type I behavior emerges when people have autonomy over the four T’s: their task, their time, their technique, and their team. (Pink 2011, chap. 4)
As you contemplate your purpose, begin with the big question: What’s your sentence? (Pink 2011, pt. 3)